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-THANK YOU for direct appropriations in last biennium budget

-mental health support

-WCFC supported bills

-Local project highlight related to supported legislation

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2024 Legislative District Review and Planning

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2024 Legislative District Review and Planning

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Shout out to Children's Village for a renewed presence in Kittitas County at outreach events!!

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Shout out to Children's Village for a renewed presence in Kittitas County at outreach events!!

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HB 2243 Children's Social Equity Land Trust

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HB 2243 Children's Social Equity Land Trust

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A frozen Du Pen fountain on the Capitol Campus
(Photo Credit: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!
Initiatives to the Legislature
Back in 1915, the Washington State Legislature failed to act on an initiative to the Legislature, "the Brewers' Hotel Bill," sending the issue to the voters as Initiative Measure 24 for their consideration in the November 1916 general election. The voters soundly defeated Initiative Measure 24 with 48,354 voting yes and 263,390 voting no.
What subject did the "Brewers' Hotel Bill" cover?
Week Two is Almost in the Books!

This short legislative session is setting into a rhythm, with the first cutoff (policy committee cutoff) a mere 12 days away. The winnowing of bills (and dreams) has already begun, and lobbyists have the benefit of fewer bill numbers to recall off the top of their heads!

While week one's theme was food and parking, week two's theme was weather. Like the rest of the state, it has been COLD in Olympia (as evidenced by the picture of the frozen Du Pen fountain above). With pass closures, slippery roads and the availability of virtual participation in legislative activity, the number of people on-campus is notably lighter than in previous years.

Yet, even with the cold, we see people participating in organizational lobby days on the Capitol campus. This week, I saw students from higher education institutions calling for more affordable college as well as a number of people wearing badges from the Wheat Association. I got very excited thinking there might be free cinnamon rolls from the Wheat Association, but I was unsuccessful in finding any. Perhaps another day.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Day, both the Senate and the House held celebrations honoring the late Dr. King and his legacy. Dr. King strongly believed in the power of civic engagement; what a way to celebrate him by seeing it all in action.

This is a reminder that Washington's legislative session "clock" counts all seven days a week (meaning even weekends count toward this year's 60-day session). It is not unusual for weekend legislative activity to be scheduled, and we already expect two Saturday fiscal committee meetings and additional weekend floor activity. The Washington Legislature moves at a fast pace! In addition, as evidenced by Monday's activity, our Legislature works on the two federal holidays during our sessions - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day. This provides opportunities for the public to engage more fully on what are typically days off from work for many Washingtonians.
Bill Activity Highlights
A number of early learning related bills had public hearings throughout this second week of the legislative session. Due to our publication schedule, we will include a summary of hearings related to HB 2195 (Representative Callan) Early Learning Facilities, SB 5870 (Senator C. Wilson) Expanding and Streamlining Eligibility for Early Learning Programs, and SB 6018 (Senator C. Wilson) Designating Early Learning Coordinators at Educational Service Districts in next week's newsletter.

On Jan. 17, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee passed Substitute Senate Bill 5774 by Senators Billig and C. Wilson. This bill requires the Department of Children, Youth and Families to maintain the ability to perform fingerprint background checks in at least ten of its child welfare and early learning field offices. The substitute bill prioritizes geographic locations and limits the staff support to .25 FTE to each office location. The measure now moves to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

What's on Deck for Next Week?

This short session started off with a bang and a flurry of bill hearings and executive sessions right out of the gate. As noted above, the first cutoff for policy committees is quickly approaching on Wednesday, Jan. 31.

As noted in last week's Notes From Olympia, a huge volume of legislation was pre-filed and introduced during the first week of the legislative session. With that said, the bill introductions have slowed down considerably and if bills have not yet been scheduled for a policy committee hearing, the likelihood they will move forward in this short 60-day session is becoming less and less. We will focus on our state's fiscal outlook in later newsletters as we transition into the fiscal committee timeframe. Still, the state's budget outlook is not as flush as previous years, which also impacts decisions about scheduling bill hearings.

The committee schedule for week three has been released and - at least for the time being - it is notably lighter as it relates to early learning bills. We are at the stage of the legislative session, though, where bills are constantly added and removed from committee schedules. This is all to say it can change on a dime, so if you are tracking a particular bill, it is a good idea to keep a close eye on its status via leg.wa.gov.

On to next week ...
Child Care and Tax Relief
Three bills have been scheduled related to leveraging our state's tax system to support child care:

HB 1716. The House Finance Committee will hear HB 1716 by Representative Rule Jan. 23. This bill would establish a Business & Occupations Tax Credit for businesses that provide child care assistance to employees. Now you might be wondering, wasn't that bill heard last year? If you are thinking that, you would be correct. HB 1716 was introduced by Rep. Rule in 2023 and received a hearing in the House Finance Committee March 23, 2023. During the second year of a two-year legislative session, bills that did not pass in the first year are reintroduced and retained in their current status, so HB 1716 was eligible for another public hearing in the House Finance Committee.

HB 2322. The House Finance Committee will also hear HB 2322 by Representative Senn Jan. 23. This bill would require entities receiving tax preferences from the State of Washington to provide child care assistance to their employees.

SB 6038. Finally, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hear SB 6038 by Senator Claire Wilson Jan. 25. This bill contains two primary provisions: 1) it would eliminate child care licensing fees and 2) provide for a tax preference to expand the business and occupation tax exemption to include income derived from child care.

A Good Little Bill for Families

HB 2052. By Rep. Callan would provide that any construction or renovation in which public restrooms are required, baby diaper changing stations must be included. The bill has been scheduled for a public hearing in the House Local Government Committee Jan. 23 and an Executive Session Jan. 26.
Executive Sessions Scheduled
Two bills of note (in addition to HB 2052 noted above) are scheduled for Executive Session next week:

SB 6109. Primarily related to child welfare, the bill also includes a provision related to home visiting. This bill is scheduled for Executive Session (vote) in Senate Human Services Jan. 22.

HB 2243. By Representatives Reeves and Waters would create the children's social equity land trust wherein funding for child care deserts would be generated by revenue from working forests statewide. Its public hearing is scheduled after the publication of this newsletter (Jan. 19 at 10:30 a.m.) in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Next week's committee schedule shows an Executive Session Jan. 26.

Bill Tracker

As the legislative session progresses, our resource page will update with a weekly bill tracker. Please note that legislation changes quickly, so the version on our website may not represent a bill's latest version as it is published the Thursday of each week.

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NEW: Notes From Olympia: Jan. 19, Week 2 of the 2024 Legislative Session

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This edition includes bill highlights from week 2, a look ahead at key early learning related bills on deck for next week, trivia and much more.

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NEW: Notes From Olympia: Sept. 29, 2023 Interim Updates

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This edition explores the upcoming legislative makeup, state revenue expectations, a preview of state agency decision packages and more!

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2024 WCFC Legislative Advocacy Day: January 31, 2024

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2024 WCFC Legislative Advocacy Day: January 31, 2024

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The 2024 WCFC Advocacy Day is scheduled for Wednesday, January 31st. We recognize that many folks will want/need to arrive in Olympia the day prior, so will be hosting a social gathering the evening of Tuesday, January 30.

Each WCFC Region is invited to bring a team of up to four individuals, including a parent from your community if possible. Please use this form to register yourself to attend the in-person Advocacy Day with your respective Regional team.

WCFC Staff are working to secure a block of hotel rooms in Olympia. Once we know how many rooms are needed, and for which nights, we will be in touch regarding next steps. Mileage and hotel accommodations are reimbursable.

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WCFC 2024 In Person Advocacy Day Registration Form

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Please click the link to complete this form.

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If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why?

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If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why?

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Why Early Learning is Important:

Research has shown that children who are able to participate in early learning programs perform better throughout their years of schooling. Early learning programs focus on six areas of kindergarten readiness:

Social-Emotional - Children do better in school when they can regulate their emotions, establish positive relationships with others, and constructively participate in group settings.

Physical - The early years are important for the development of fundamental gross-motor and fine-motor skills needed to be active learners.

Language - Children need to understand increasingly complex language and use language to express their thoughts, ideas, needs, and feelings.

Cognitive - Children are more successful in school when they have positive approaches to learning, and are able to attend, engage, and persist to solve problems.

Literacy - A child's progress in reading and writing is one of the best predictors of whether the child will function competently in school and in life.

Math - Research shows that math is the number one predictor of future success in reading and math.*

*Duncan, Greg. University of California, 2007. Early Childhood Longitudinal studies. "The strongest predictors of later achievement are school-entry math, reading, and attention skills. Early math skills have the greatest predictive power."

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Research has shown that children who are able to participate in early learning programs perform better throughout their years of schooling. Early learning programs focus on six areas of kindergarten readiness: Social-Emotional - Children do better in school when they can regulate their emotions, establish positive relationships with others, and constructively participate in group settings.

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Thurs, Feb. 22, 2024 Early Learning Workshop at Wide Hollow

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Thurs, Feb. 22, 2024 Early Learning Workshop at Wide Hollow

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What is your go-to karaoke song, and why do you love singing it?

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What is your go-to karaoke song, and why do you love singing it?

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Please follow this link to sign in for today's meeting!

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Please follow this link to sign in for today's meeting!

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One of the WCFC Statewide Networks:

Road to Legislative Session

1. September 7th – Listening Session: Bring your feedback and the most pressing issues facing childcare today

2. October 5th – Voting and Testimony Prep: We will vote on our final 3 topics that result from our listening session; we will also start preparing people for testimonies that fit those topics.

3. November 2nd – 4th Annual Legislative Q&A: Our Childcare Voice group will engage in conversation with legislators from around the state, presenting the topics we’ve prepared

4. December: No meeting this month. Enjoy the holidays and rest up for Legislative Session

5. January 5th, 2024: Prepare for Legislative Session; info provided about upcoming Advocacy Day

6. Contact Info: Brittany Hartikainen
State Childcare Voice Lead
SE Regional Co-Lead
Washington Communities for Children
brittany@bh-consulting.org

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Thurs, Feb. 22, 2024 Early Learning Workshop at Wide Hollow (Spanish)

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Thurs, Feb. 22, 2024 Early Learning Workshop at Wide Hollow (Spanish)

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@forthekidswa

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The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) was created by the Legislature in 2007.

ELAC representatives from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) so our strategies and actions are well informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health and safety experts and interested members of the public.

Governor Jay Inslee holds final authority for policy decisions.

The council has adopted a Racial Equity Framework through which it conducts its business as an advisory board to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Members

The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) members are a diverse group of people whose role is to provide DCYF with input and recommendations to inform DCYF's work.

ELAC includes parents, child care providers, health and safety experts, legislators, representatives of Tribal Nations, independent schools, K-12 and higher education, and others who are interested in creating a statewide early learning system that helps all children realize their full potential.

Some ELAC members are appointed by the Governor. Others are appointed by various entities as required in the legislation that created ELAC.

Meetings

The Early Learning Advisory Council has six regular meetings each year, held on the first Tuesday of odd months. At each meeting, ELAC members get updates on DCYF's work and provide input and recommendations to DCYF.

Members of the public are welcome to attend ELAC meetings. Public comment periods are offered throughout each meeting. The locations and times vary for each meeting.

2022
December 6, 2022 August 2, 2022 October 4, 2022 June 7, 2022 April 12, 2022 February 1, 2022
At the time of the meeting, please join the Zoom meeting via the link below.

9:00am-3:00pm

Meeting number (access code): 824 9183 1069
Meeting password: 904723

Join by phone: 1 253 215 8782 US Toll
Passcode: 904723

2021
December 7, 2021 October 5, 2021 - Joint Early Learning Advisory Council, Provider Supports Subcommittee, and Parent Advisory Group Meeting August 3, 2021 June 1, 2021 - Joint Provider Supports Subcommittee Meeting March 30, 2021 - Joint PAG Meeting February 2, 2021

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Department of Children, Youth & Families

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The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) was created by the Legislature in 2007. Read the statutory language ELAC representatives from around the state meet regularly to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) so our strategies and actions are well informed and broadly supported by parents, child care providers, health and safety experts and interested members of the public.

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88482319775

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done.

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The Family to Family Health & Information Center (F2FHIC), helps families of children and youth with special health care needs, and the professionals who serve them, to find healthcare funding. Because children with special health care needs issues are chronic and complex, parents and caregivers are often challenged with finding the resources to finance health care for their children. The Family-to-Family Health Information Center understands the issues that families face; they provide advice, offer a multitude of resources, and tap into a network of other families and professionals for support and information. Family Voices, through the National Center for Family / Professional Partnerships, provides technical assistance, training, and connections to other Family-to-Family partnering organizations.

Lifespan Respite WA: Information and Help for Family Caregivers A "family caregiver" can be anyone who gives regular help and support to a child or adult who has a chronic condition or disability. They are often the primary caregiver for the person they help and they may spend large amounts of time giving that care. Respite is when a family caregiver can get a short break. Sometimes family and friends or other volunteers can step in. Sometimes, family caregivers turn to services and programs where paid caregivers provide the break. It can be difficult in the middle of caregiving responsibilities to find respite services, especially respite services a family can afford. Lifespan Respite WA offers information on sources of respite care and programs that pay for respite care (including a Voucher Program where unpaid, unserved family caregivers can apply for a mini-grant to use for short-term respite) as well as non-respite caregiver support.

Person Centered Planning Program (PCP), Focused on Pierce County, this program provides ongoing training for facilitators, as well as support for parents and self-advocate mentors through person centered plans utilizing maps and graphics. We work in partnership with school districts and can contract privately for individual plans.

Parent Training and Information (PTI) helps with your questions about disability-related services for babies, children, and young people, ages 0-26. PTI provides information, training, and resources to help family caregivers, youth, and professionals. For example, we can help you refer a student for an educational evaluation or get ready for a meeting with the school. If you are a parent supporting an infant or toddler, school-aged student, or young adult, PTI has information and resources to empower your family's journey. If you are a young person with a disability, we can answer questions about your rights and help you participate in meetings about your Individualized Education Program-your IEP-or Section 504 Plan. We help while you are in high school and after you've moved on to college, job training, or a vocational program. If you are a professional with questions about the educational rights of students with disabilities, we guide you toward answers. We partner with groups to provide live in-person and virtual trainings. We share articles and videos on PAVE's website, so information is available whenever you have time to learn. The Learning in School tab on our website is a place to look around for information. Click Get Help to fill out a form and ask for our direct support. We will contact you by phone and/or email to get started in answering your questions.

Pierce County Parent to Parent (P2P), provides support, guidance, and mentorship to parents who are navigating specific challenges or circumstances related to their children's health, disabilities, or special needs. The goal is to empower and assist parents in better understanding and addressing the unique needs of their children, fostering a sense of camaraderie, and reducing feelings of isolation often associated with parenting challenges.

Spark Pierce County was established in 2018 through partnership with Pierce County Human Services to teach people with developmental and intellectual disabilities the value of leadership within their communities while enhancing their lives and launching future possibilities. Opportunities include: Self-Advocacy groups, trainings, and workshops, "Train the Trainer" workshops to further excel existing knowledge and leadership skills, Involvement in community events, Learning about local government; how it effects it has on people with disabilities and how people with disabilities can affect it, and finally becoming involved and informed in decisions that impact the individual!

Specialized Training of Military Parents (STOMP), provides one and two-day in-person workshops and one-hour webinars throughout the United States and overseas for military families and military personnel. Topics include: Rights and Responsibilities (IDEA, IEP), Advocacy, SSI/Medicaid, TRICARE/ECHO/ABA, WILLs, Guardianships & Special Needs Trusts, Networking, IEP and 504 Breakouts. STOMP training provides families with federal information to gain a a better understanding of how to navigate through educational and medical systems when they have a child who has exceptional/special needs. STOMP workshops and webinars are funded by the Army, Navy and Air Force who determine the locations and workshop or webinar topics per installation.

Start Now! Life after high school can be challenging, and transitioning to work, college, and
independent living means taking on more responsibilities. Start Now! supports students
with disabilities in middle school, high school, and during high school transition to
envision their life beyond high school. Start Now! invites and offers interactive opportunities for all students with disabilities to explore and imagine what they would want their whole life to look like.

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Programs of PAVE The Family to Family Health & Information Center (F2FHIC), helps families of children and youth with special health care needs, and the professionals who serve them, to find healthcare funding.

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Swirling | Meditation for Kids | GoNoodle

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Music theme: Jazz in January - Sarah Vaughan

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Music theme: Jazz in January - Sarah Vaughan

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Bio

The power, range, and flexibility of her voice made Sarah Vaughan, known as "Sassy" or "The Divine One," one of the great singers in jazz. With her rich, controlled tone and vibrato, she could create astounding performances on jazz standards, often adding bop-oriented phrasing. Along with Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, Vaughan helped popularize the art of jazz singing, influencing generations of vocalists following her. Vaughan began singing at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in her native Newark, and started extensive piano lessons at age seven. Winner of the amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre, Vaughan was hired by Earl Hines for his big band as a second pianist and singer on the recommendation of Billy Eckstine in 1943. She joined Eckstine's band in 1944, as well as making her first recording under her own name.

After leaving Eckstine, Sarah worked briefly in the John Kirby band, and thereafter was primarily a vocal soloist. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie often sang her praises, assisting her in gaining recognition, particularly in musicians' circles. They worked with her on a May 25, 1945, session as well, which was highlighted by her vocal version of Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia," called "Interlude" on the album. Her first husband, trumpeter-bandleader George Treadwell, helped re-make her "look" and she began to work and record more regularly, starting in 1949 with Columbia Records. In the 1960s, Vaughan made records with bandleaders such as Count Basie, Benny Carter, Frank Foster, and Quincy Jones on the Mercury and Roulette labels among others. It was during this time that her level of international recognition began to grow as she toured widely, generally accompanied by a trio, and on occasion doing orchestra dates.

These large ensemble dates ranged from the Boston Pops to the Cleveland Orchestra as her voice became recognized as one of the most beautiful and versatile in all of jazz, blessed with a range that literally went from baritone to soprano. In the 1970s and 1980s, her voice darkened, providing a deeper and all the more alluring tone.
Selected Discography
1944-46, Classics, 1944-46
In Hi-Fi, Columbia/Legacy, 1949-53
The Complete Sarah Vaughan on Mercury, Vol. 1, Mercury, 1954-56
Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, Verve, 1955
The Duke Ellington Songbook, Vol. 1, Pablo, 1979

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The power, range, and flexibility of her voice made 1989 NEA Jazz Master Sarah Vaughan, known as "Sassy" or "The Divine One," one of the great singers in jazz.

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borrowed from ESD 105

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Erica Hallock, Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington

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Erica Hallock, Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington

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Erica Hallock

Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington

Erica Hallock serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Start Early Washington. She has worked in early childhood, health and human services policy in both California and Washington state.

She has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Riverside and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University Sacramento.

She is a proud mom of two young adults (one of whom teaches in Washington's state preschool program) and lives in Spokane when she is not in Olympia.

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Erica Hallock, Director, Policy & Advocacy , Start Early Washington

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Director, Policy & Advocacy, Start Early Washington Erica Hallock serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Start Early Washington. She has worked in early childhood, health and human services policy in both California and Washington state. She has a B.A.

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Action Teams

Executive Committee

Nominating Committee

Others?

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-Advocacy Day Update

-Lobbyist update

-Music theme: Share the Love - Stevie Wonder