CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                   ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 2613

 

 

                   Chapter 321, Laws of 1996

 

                         (partial veto)

 

 

 

                        54th Legislature

                      1996 Regular Session

 

 

                       SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/6/96

Passed by the House March 4, 1996

  Yeas 94   Nays 0

 

 

 

             CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

 

Passed by the Senate March 1, 1996

  Yeas 45   Nays 0

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 2613 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

            JOEL PRITCHARD

President of the Senate

          TIMOTHY A. MARTIN

                          Chief Clerk

 

 

Approved March 30, 1996, with the exception of section 1, which is vetoed.Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

                                FILED          

 

 

          March 30, 1996 - 11:35 p.m.

 

 

 

              MIKE LOWRY

Governor of the State of Washington

                   Secretary of State

                  State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                     ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 2613

          _______________________________________________

 

                     AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

             Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Sterk, Crouse, Carrell, Brumsickle, McMahan, Boldt, Honeyford, D. Sommers, Clements, Sherstad, Koster, Fuhrman, Sheahan, Huff, Mulliken and Thompson

 

Read first time 01/15/96.  Referred to Committee on Education.

 

Enhancing school disciplinary measures.   


    AN ACT Relating to school discipline; and amending RCW 28A.225.225, 28A.305.160, and 28A.635.090.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    *Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.225.225 and 1995 c 52 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) All districts accepting applications from nonresident students or from students receiving home-based instruction for admission to the district's schools shall consider equally all applications received.  Each school district shall adopt a policy establishing rational, fair, and equitable standards for acceptance and rejection of applications ((by June 30, 1990)).  The policy may include rejection of nonresident students if acceptance of these students would result in the district experiencing a financial hardship, or if the nonresident student's disciplinary record indicates a history of behavior that has been disruptive to the educational process.

    (2) The district shall provide to applicants written notification of the approval or denial of the application in a timely manner.  If the application is rejected, the notification shall include the reason or reasons for denial and the right to appeal under RCW 28A.225.230(3).

*Sec. 1 was vetoed.  See message at end of chapter.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 28A.305.160 and 1975‑'76 2nd ex.s. c 97 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The state board of education shall adopt and distribute to all school districts lawful and reasonable rules ((and regulations)) prescribing the substantive and procedural due process guarantees of pupils in the common schools.  Such rules ((and regulations)) shall authorize a school district to use informal due process procedures in connection with the short-term suspension of students to the extent constitutionally permissible:  PROVIDED, That the state board deems the interest of students to be adequately protected.  When a student suspension or expulsion is appealed, the rules shall authorize a school district to impose the suspension or expulsion temporarily after an initial hearing for no more than ten consecutive school days or until the appeal is decided, whichever is earlier.  Any days that the student is temporarily suspended or expelled before the appeal is decided shall be applied to the term of the student suspension or expulsion and shall not limit or extend the term of the student suspension or expulsion.

    (2) Short-term suspension procedures may be used for suspensions of students up to and including, ten consecutive school days.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 28A.635.090 and 1990 c 33 s 540 are each amended to read as follows:

    It shall be unlawful for any person, singly or in concert with others, to interfere by force or violence with any administrator, teacher, classified employee, person under contract with the school or school district, or student of any common school who is in the peaceful discharge or conduct of his or her duties or studies.  Any such interference by force or violence committed by a student shall be grounds for immediate suspension or expulsion of the student.


    Passed the House March 4, 1996.

    Passed the Senate March 1, 1996.

Approved by the Governor March 30, 1996, with the exception of certain items that were vetoed.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 30, 1996.


 

    Note:  Governor's explanation of partial veto is as follows:

 

    "I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 1, Engrossed House Bill No. 2613 entitled:

 

"AN ACT Relating to school discipline;"

 

    Engrossed House Bill No. 2613 specifies that use of force or violence against school personnel is grounds for a student's immediate suspension or expulsion and allows school districts to impose a temporary suspension or expulsion for up to ten days pending an appeal.

 

    Section 1 of Engrossed House Bill No. 2613 contains a provision that would allow school districts to deny an application for admission from a nonresident student if the student's disciplinary record indicates a history of behavior that has been disruptive to the educational process.

 

    I understand that several school districts are seeking this authority because they have been unable, in the past, to deny admission to nonresident students with long histories of serious disciplinary problems.  While I appreciate the frustration of these districts in such cases, I am concerned that this broadly‑worded provision would authorize school districts across the state to deny admission to nonresident students with any kind of disciplinary record.  Such authority is clearly inappropriate and inconsistent with the responsibility of our public school system to provide educational services for all our children.  A more targeted approach is necessary to address the concerns raised by these school districts.

 

    For these reasons, I have vetoed section 1 of Engrossed House Bill No. 2613.

 

    With the exception of section 1, Engrossed House Bill No. 2613 is approved."