Good News!

The Supplemental Budget bill ESHB 1086 passed the House this morning and is on its way to the Senate for their consideration.

Along the way, a striker amendment which would have reduced HCP funding and cut it off as of March 1 was defeated, on a straight party line vote.

So 1086 contains the following for HCP in section 508:

State Appropriation (FY) 2011  $9,171,000, including $84,000 for FPS/DI and $159,000 for Centrum at Fort Worden. That’s for this current school year.

ESHB 1086 is being fast tracked and the Senate Ways & Means committee has already scheduled a work session for Tuesday, January 25 at 3:30.

Same Song, Next Verse

You need to do what you did for the House W&M. Send those “hundreds and hundreds of emails” to Senators on the Senate Ways & Means committee urging support for Section 508. Support for HCP is not nearly so strong in the Senate as it was in the House so contact is vital.

When contacting these Senators, you may wish to note that advocates appreciate the provision of Highly Capable Funding in ESHB 1086. It is only through maintaining the current program and proceeding to move it forward into basic education that the state can continue to open doors for students from all demographic and economic groups. Ask for their support.  You can contact the members of the Senate W&M committee through this web site. Click on the name of the member (and you should contact all members) and you will get the home page from which you can send your message.

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/WM/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx

If you want to see the text of 1086, go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1086&year=2011 and click on Substitute Bill (WAYS 11). Information on this page is being constantly updated so if you see something different search for ESHB 1086.

Together we are stronger!