Legislative page Daniel Hoel, left, listens as Senate security staff give instructions Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, for a practice run of a procession of Washington state county flags that will be a part of the opening ceremonies of the Legislature later in the day at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Republished January 09, 2017 - 12:01 PM
Original Publication Date January 09, 2017 - 10:55 AM
OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Latest on the first of the Washington Legislature (all times local):
12:56 p.m.
The Washington Legislature has convened its 105-day legislative session.
The House and Senate both gaveled into session at noon Monday. Few Capitol watchers expect they'll finish their work without the need of overtime sessions as they wrestle with the final piece of a court mandate on education funding.
Lawmakers are working to comply with a 2012 state Supreme Court ruling requiring them to fully fund the state's basic education system. Lawmakers have already put more than $2 billion toward the issue since the ruling, but the biggest piece remaining of the court order is figuring out how much the state must provide for teacher salaries.
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11:57
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is pushing legislation aimed at assault weapons.
On Monday, the first day of the 2017 Legislature, Ferguson announced two measures - a proposal to ban the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and a bill to enhance background checks and raise the minimum age required to buy assault weapons and magazines.
Ferguson's says his assault weapon ban bill is similar to legislation passed in New York and Connecticut.
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10:45 a.m.
A task force charged with coming up with solutions to properly fund basic education in Washington state met hours before the official start of the 105-day legislative session, but failed to reach agreement on any recommendations.
The Education Funding Task Force voted Monday on both Republican and Democratic proposals, but party line votes led to a 4-4 tie. Last year, the task force was created with the goal of coming up with recommendations to solve K-12 education funding.
Lawmakers are working to comply with a 2012 state Supreme Court ruling that they must fully fund the state's basic education system. Lawmakers have already put more than $2 billion toward the issue since the ruling, but the biggest piece remaining of the court order is figuring out how much the state must provide for teacher salaries. School districts currently pay a big chunk of those salaries with local property-tax levies.
After nearly seven months of meetings, Monday marked the final hearing of the task force.
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4:31 a.m.
Lawmakers return to the Capitol for a 105-day legislative session, tasked with the final piece of an education funding puzzle they've spent years trying to solve.
The Legislature, which convenes at noon Monday, is working to comply with a 2012 state Supreme Court ruling requiring them to fully fund the state's basic education system. Lawmakers have already put more than $2 billion toward the issue since the ruling, but the biggest piece remaining of the court order is figuring out how much the state must provide for teacher salaries. School districts currently pay a substantial chunk of those salaries with local property-tax levies.
The court has said that the state has until Sept. 1, 2018 to fully fund education, but that the details of how to do that — as well as how lawmakers will pay for it — must be in place before the Legislature adjourns this year.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017