Inslee signs bills to help students, protect catalytic converters, let job seekers see salaries - Tacoma News Tribune
A flurry of bills were officially signed into Washington state law Wednesday afternoon as the governor continued to take action on legislation passed by lawmakers during this year’s session.
Several of the bills were geared towards helping students, while others protect employees and consumers.
An anti-hazing bill was among the first of the laws regarding students the governor signed. House Bill 1751, or “Sam’s Law,” introduced by Rep. Mari Leavitt, D-University Place, requires universities to report incidents of hazing, as well as provide orientation for new students on how to recognize and report hazing.
The governor thanked the parents of Sam Martinez, who brought the bill to the legislature to honor their son. Martinez died in a hazing incident at Washington State University in 2019.
Other signed bills that aimed at helping students include:
House Bill 1736: Introduced by Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, it lays the foundation for a student loan program in the state, which won’t be able to be funded until the 2023-25 biennium due to a “technical error,” according to the governor. The bill aims to provide a more affordable loan program for students than loans through the federal government.
House Bill 1835: Introduced by Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, it creates a pilot program for students trying to enroll in post-secondary education by providing help filling out federal and state aid forms free of charge.
House Bill 1805: Sponsored by Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, it makes the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Program more accessible to students in rural communities.
Senate Bill 5376: Introduced by Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Auburn, the law requires schools to provide contact information and a description of services provided by the Office of the Education Ombuds. OEO provides information about rights and responsibilities of students within the school system.
Senate Bill 5498: This bill also sponsored by Wilson allows the distribution of posthumous high school diplomas for students who were close to graduating before they died.
Senate Bill 5657: Sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, this law requires long-term juvenile institutions to provide access to computer science courses.
Senate Bill 5720: Introduced by Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, it will provide grants to incorporate financial literacy programs into school districts.
Senate Bill 5847: Introduced by Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, it requires agencies to inform certain employees who are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if they are in eligible government positions for 10 years while enrolled in the plan.
Senate Bill 5874: Sponsored by T’wina Nobles, D-Fircrest, it will help military families by recognizing spouses and children of military personnel as Washington residents for purposes of college enrollment, regardless of where the military member is stationed.
Senate Bill 5878: Sponsored by Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, it will require school districts with more than 200 students to provide either visual or performing arts education to students at least once in grades K-8. The law also will require grades 9-12 to offer visual or performing arts credits throughout the school year.
In an attempt to help people seeking work in the state, the governor also signed at bill introduced by Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, that requires employers to disclose salary and benefit information in job postings.
Additionally, the governor signed legislation to deter catalytic converter theft, sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline. Businesses who buy scrap catalytic converters must wait three days before providing payment to sellers and require those sellers to provide photo identification with a street address.
The governor also signed a bill introducted by Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, that will support domestic violence victims who wish to provide statements during state sentencing hearings, which is something generally granted only in felony hearings, according to Wilson. The legislation passed both chambers unanimously before being signed by the governor on Wednesday.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 10:46 AM.
source: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article259970065.html
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