[Wctcca] Legislative Updates

Mon Mar 8 18:08:02 PST 2021

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share the latest legislative updates with you that directly impact counseling services in the CTCs...

HB 1468: Increasing Student Access to Mental Health Counseling and Services in CTCs, has stalled in committee and will not be moving forward. However, SB 5194: Providing Access and Equity in CTCs, has just passed the Senate an hour ago and will now be moving to the House.

SB 5194 includes the full language included in the original HB 1468 which provides funding for 8 pilot colleges to receive funding to implement the recommendations of the CTC Counselor Task Force Report. This would mean a significant investment for counseling in the CTCs.

Link for the full details of SB5194:  SB5194<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5194&Initiative=false&Year=2021>

Information regarding public engagement on bills moving through the legislature.

It is very important to not use state resources for lobbying. There are four main ways for private citizens to engage with legislators on bills moving through the process: 1)  emailing legislators directly<https://app.leg.wa.gov/Rosters/Members>, 2) providing public comment on a bill, 3) providing public testimony when a bill is given a hearing (see the bill summary pages linked above), and 4) adding one’s name pro or con to a bill. As college employees, if you decide to engage in any these actions, it would need to be done via personal email addresses, personal equipment (e.g. mobile device or computer), and on personal, non-work time.

Nicole Hoyes Wilson, MSW, MA, LICSW, LMHC
Faculty Counselor
Department Coordinator, Counseling Center
nwilson at highline.edu

________________________________
From: Wilson, Nicole <nwilson at highline.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 5:22 PM
To: 'wctcca at lists.ctc.edu' <wctcca at lists.ctc.edu>
Subject: Legislative Updates

Hi fellow counselors,

As promised in our meeting on Friday, I wanted to provide you with a few informational legislative updates that directly impact our work.

HB1468
HB 1468 will provide funding for 8 pilot schools (which could be up to an additional 20 faculty counselors into to the system) to implement the 8 best practices listed in the Task Force CTC Counselors Final Report<https://app.leg.wa.gov/ReportsToTheLegislature/Home/GetPDF?fileName=HB1355%20Task%20Force%20on%20CTC%20Counselors%20Final%20Report_20ce2b14-8e14-46b1-b840-8395d29125e0.pdf>. The bill was passed out of the House College and Workforce Development Committee on Thursday and has moved to House Appropriations (funding).

For more details about HB 1468 see below:
Link to HB1468 bill summary<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1468&Initiative=false&Year=2021>
Link to amended HB1468 text<http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1468-S.pdf?q=20210215111834>

SB5194
SB 5194: Providing Access and Equity in CTCs, is in the process of being amended and the new amended bill will be brought to the floor of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Friday. SB5194 includes the counseling language from HB1468 (above) as part of an umbrella of equity initiatives included in the bill.

For more details about the SB5194 see below:
Link to SB5194 bill summary<https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5194&Year=2021>
Link to 2/5 version of the bill that will be amended SB5194 bill text from 2.5<http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5194-S.pdf?q=20210215112705>

Information regarding public engagement on bills moving through the legislature.

It is very important to not use state resources for lobbying. There are four main ways for private citizens to engage with legislators on bills moving through the process: 1)  emailing legislators directly<https://app.leg.wa.gov/Rosters/Members>, 2) providing public comment on a bill, 3) providing public testimony when a bill is given a hearing (see the bill summary pages linked above), and 4) adding one’s name pro or con to a bill. As college employees, if you decide to engage in any these actions, it would need to be done via personal email addresses, personal equipment (e.g. mobile device or computer), and on personal, non-work time.

Specific opportunities this coming week:

  *   To provide public comment on HB1468 counseling pilot funding bill click here: public comment on HB1468<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.leg.wa.gov%2Fpbc%2Fbill%2F1468&data=04%7C01%7CEBeck%40WashingtonEA.org%7Ce3a07f22df0c46eb630f08d8d1fc5978%7Cc51bd6ee3b224c0ba0fdfc3c3d347ca7%7C0%7C0%7C637490229517798177%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=VGRkfuaD%2FJVCbKLqAJAS2DHp1%2FbSZnmbHYCGtmF33Zs%3D&reserved=0>.
  *   To provide a pro or con position on SB5194 follow the directions below:
  *   Go to this website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSIRemote/Senate<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.leg.wa.gov%2FCSIRemote%2FSenate&data=04%7C01%7CEBeck%40WashingtonEA.org%7Ce3a07f22df0c46eb630f08d8d1fc5978%7Cc51bd6ee3b224c0ba0fdfc3c3d347ca7%7C0%7C0%7C637490229517798177%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=AH6Bkkhy%2FEiiIjS%2BRVnNJJoiHYevwQ3A1EIKfMRi4nM%3D&reserved=0>
  *   Committee: Select "Ways & Means"
  *   Meetings: Select "2/19/2021 9:00 AM"
  *   Scroll down: Click on SSB 5194 Comm. & technical colleges
  *   Scroll down: Click on "I would like to state my position for the state legislature."
  *   Then select PRO or CON

Nicole Hoyes Wilson, MSW, MA, LICSW, LMHC
Faculty Counselor
Department Coordinator, Counseling Center
nwilson at highline.edu

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