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• Introduced by Sen. Don Carlson (R) on January 14, 2004, to revise the school district levy base calculation. See also Companion HB 2775.
  • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on January 14, 2004.
    • Testimony in support offered to the Senate Education Committee on February 4, 2004, by Sen. Don Carlson; Marcia Fromhold, Evergreen School District; Grace Yuan, Issaquah and Lake Washington School Districts; Megan Atkinson, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Randy Parr, WEA and others, who testified that the bill allows school districts to collect what the voters have already approved. It is really about local choice.
    • Testimony in opposition offered to the Senate Education Committee on February 4, 2004, by Barbara Mertens, Association of School Administrators; Dan Steele, School Directors Association; Neil Kirby, Former Rep.; Carolyn Logue, NFIB, who testified that since the adjustment factor is not tied to levy equalization, many of the districts that need the help are denied any benefit. This could cause the rich districts to get richer while the poor districts get poorer. The connection to levy equalization needs to be maintained.
  • Substitute offered to the Senate Education Committee on February 5, 2004, to increase a school district's levy base by a per pupil adjustment inflator rather than the amount that the district would have received if their levy base had been calculated based on the highest state salary allocations for certificated instructional staff, certificated administrative staff, and classified staff. The substitute passed in committee on February 5, 2004.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 5, 2004.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, (D-Bothell) (D) on February 16, 2004, to strike everything aftr the enacting clause and insert a new version of the bill. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 16, 2004.
• Passed in the Senate (25 to 24) on February 16, 2004, regarding revising the school district levy base calculation. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on February 17, 2004.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on February 17, 2004.
  • Amendment offered to the House Education Committee on February 26, 2004, to amend entire bill. The amendment passed but was not adopted by the Appropriations committee.
  • Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on February 27, 2004.
  • Amendment offered to the House Appropriations Committee on March 1, 2004, to increase all districts' levy bases, not just those districts with voter approved levies in place for 2005 by November 1, 2003. Levy bases would be increased for four years beginning in 2005, rather than for 2005 only. The levy base increase would be linked to levy equalization for three years beginning in 2006, rather than no link to levy equalization. The increase in the levy base is based on grandfathered salary allocations rather than a percentage increase called out in the budget bill. The amendment passed in Committee replacing the amendment passed in the Education Committee.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 1, 2004.
• Passed in the House (68 to 25) on March 5, 2004, regarding revising the school district levy base calculation. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 10, 2004, the Senate concurred with the House amendments.
• Passed in the Senate (35 to 14) on March 10, 2004. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Gary Locke on March 18, 2004, revising the school district levy base calculation.