S-1577               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5852

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senator Smith

Read first time 2/10/89 and referred to Committee on  Education.

AN ACT Relating to the study of history and government in high school; and amending RCW 28A.05.050.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 28A.05.050, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as amended by section 2, chapter 57, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. and RCW 28A.05.050 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) To promote good citizenship and a greater interest in and better understanding of our national and state institutions and system of government, the state board of education shall prescribe a one-year course of study in the history and government of the United States, and the equivalent of a one-semester course of study in the state of Washington's history and government.

(2) The one-year course of study in the history and government of the United States shall include study of the Constitution of the United States as required under RCW 28A.02.080.  The equivalent of a one-semester course of study in the history and government of the state of Washington shall include study of the Constitution of Washington state as required under RCW 28A.02.080 and shall include study of the laws of the state of Washington, including but not limited to:

(a) The environment;

(b) Law and justice; and

(c) Education.

(3) No person shall be graduated from high school without completing such courses of study:  PROVIDED, That students in the twelfth grade who have not completed such a course of study in Washington's history and state government because of previous residence outside the state may have the foregoing requirement waived by their principal.