SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5641

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed Senate, February 28, 2017

Title: An act relating to school district nomenclature.

Brief Description: Changing nomenclature for first-class and second-class school districts.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Keiser and Honeyford).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/07/17, 2/14/17 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed Senate: 2/28/17, 47-2.

Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill

Changes terminology throughout the code from first-class and second class school districts to class-one and class-two school districts.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5641 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Zeiger, Chair; Fain, Vice Chair; Rolfes, Ranking Minority Member; Billig, Mullet, Rivers and Warnick.

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: Current law provides that any school district that has a student enrollment of 2000 students or more enrolled in its public schools, the school district is of the first class. In the 2016-17 school year, there were 105 first class school districts. They served approximately 89.14 percent of all public school students.

Any school district that has an enrollment less than 2000 students is a school district of the second class. In the 2016-17 school year, there were 190 second class school districts. They served approximately 10.84 percent of all public school students.

Summary of First Substitute Bill: The terms first-class and second-class school district are changed to class-one and class-two school district.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on First Substitute: PRO: This is a simple approach to change the way we refer to small school districts, many of which are rural districts. Throughout the code, small school districts are referred to as second-class school districts, which has a negative connotation. It is time to update the language in a way that is not unkind to any of our school districts.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Karen Keiser, Prime Sponsor.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.