Bill to make school bond approval easier in Washington state gains momentum

(The Center Square) – Several people showed up at a Monday public hearing before the Senate Ways & Means Committee to offer their support for a bill that would amend the state constitution to allow for simple majorities to pass school bonds in Washington state. Senate Bill 5186 is a substitute bill to the original Senate Joint Resolution 8200, which would have allowed 55% of voters to authorize school district bonds. Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor, introduced the substitute bill modeled after House Bill 4201, which would require only that more than half of the votes cast be in favor of the bond request. The substitute bill was given a do-pass recommendation out of executive session on Feb. 13 by the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. Because SB 5186 would amend the state constitution, it requires a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Afterward, voters would have the final say this November.