Manweller testifies on anonymous reporting bill

OLYMPIA — Rep. Matt Manweller appeared before a committee on Monday to testify on his bill which creates an anonymous reporting systems for students who are concerned about threats or unsafe situations.

Manweller and co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, were both high school teachers and see this bill as a way to help children who are hesitant to report ominous or risky behavior to have the confidence to come forward.

“Obviously, whatever we’re doing isn’t working,” Manweller said. “So let’s try something else.”

House bill 1310 is a bipartisan effort and has been introduced twice before this. Manweller said last year the bill made it through the Education and Appropriations Committee, but was hung up in the Rules Committee due to liability issues. The bill was originally developed by Rep. Kevin Parker, R-Spokane, who retired last year and co-sponsored by Manweller.

Manweller said preventing school shootings is a national issue, but it was also a priority to him as a teacher and a parent. He sees this bill doing better than last year because of the changes he made and meetings he had with a member of the Rules Committee over the summer.

“No one’s immune from this problem,” Manweller said. “Urban, rich, rural, poor, they’re school shootings everywhere.”

The bill requires that there is an electronic, anonymous means of reporting available to students 24 hours a day and schools create an age appropriate education program to inform students how and when to report. If passed, it would go into effect for the 2017-2018 school year.

The bill is designed to be similar to a program in Colorado known as Safe 2 Tell. In Washington, the implementation of the system would be developed by Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“We put some parameters on it,” Manweller said. “But we’re going to let OSPI figure out what is best for the kids.”

A co-sponsor of the bill who is also on the Education Committee, Dick Muri, R-Steilacoom, said adults are often required to report unsafe behavior, but children who see the most often do not speak up until it’s too late.

“Kids are people who are afraid to do anything or say something,” Muri said. “This gives them the power to do that.”