Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, is on KMAS iFiberOne with Jeff Slakey, explaining the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus’s budget proposal and some of his thoughts on specific aspects of the budget he agrees and disagrees with. These include property taxes, local levies, and adequately funding education. Rep. MacEwen also shares some insight on how the process of negotiating a budget occurs.
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Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, discusses a legislation that would create a new agency that would help children and families. MacEwen also talks about his time meeting and greeting constituents and gives insight on the budget negotiations.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, speaks with KMAS’ Jeff Slakey about the upcoming house of origin cutoff, as well as his legislation to de-link the state tests from graduation requirements.
SATTGAST: Representative Drew MacEwen said the assessments have forced teachers to teach to the tests and students to focus on passing the tests. He’s concerned that passing the tests to graduate have drawn attention away from the real focus of school – and that’s educating kids.
House Bill 1046 wouldn’t eliminate the assessments. But it would remove the requirement to pass them before a student can graduate.
MacEWEN: “There’s two things I want to stress. One is it saves 20-million dollars because it would get rid of a lot of requirements and the bureaucracy within OSPI, so we’re saving money. But also, I believe it is our job to ensure that we create life-long learners and not life-long test takers.
SATTGAST: Republican State Representative Drew MacEwen of Union. The bill eliminates the Certificates of Academic Achievement and Individual Achievement as proof for graduation that a student has passed the tests.
The measure passed the House 92 to 6. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration. John Sattgast, Olympia.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, talks with iFiberOne’s Jeff Slakey about the McCleary education funding bills from the House and Senate, and the process going forward to reach a single compromise agreement.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, discusses his proposed legislation that would exempt businesses with less than $200,000 in gross receipts from having to pay any B&O taxes. MacEwen also talks about his upcoming telephone town hall.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, goes in depth about finalizing the budget while incorporating funding for the McCleary decision, and what that means for him and his committee. Also talks about his bill concerning end of course testing.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, discusses funding education on KMAS with Jeff Slakey. They talk about the many facets of the Majority Coalition Caucus budget proposal and how it will affect his district.
The Washington State House of Representatives adopted its rules for the 2017 legislative session today. Republicans proposed one amendment to the House rules that would have established their Fund Education First solution. The amendment read:
“After the first sentence of Rule 12, insert the following: ‘(A) FUND EDUCATION FIRST. Education funding for the fiscal biennium, appropriations for the purposes of basic education, as defined by the Legislature, and other K-12 education purposes must be enacted into law before it is in order for the house to take a final passage vote on omnibus operating or transportation appropriations legislation.’”
During House floor debate, Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, spoke in favor of the amendment.
“We can work together right now for the children of Washington state. It is in our ability to make this truly the priority and make these hard decisions first. There are plenty of education reform bills out there we can take up now as part of the plan,” said Shea. “Let’s take the politics out of education funding by making it a priority right now. We need to vote ‘yes’ on this amendment!”
Democrats rejected the amendment on a party-line, 50-48 vote.
Fund Education First has been supported by House Republicans since 2006. It would change the state’s budget process and require the Legislature to pass a separate K-12 education budget before any other appropriations. This approach would elevate K-12 education to the highest priority in the budgeting process.
House Bill 1021, sponsored by Rep. Drew MacEwen, is this year’s version of the Fund Education First solution. It has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee.
The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to adjourn April 23.