Washington Business Fall 2015 | Legislative Review | Page 37

issue area reports | taxation

Lawmakers recognized that funding the
initiative would be devastating to the state
budget, particularly while meeting their
K-12 obligations. Lawmakers remained
committed to the model school funding
definition, which calls for smaller class
sizes in grades K-3. HB 2266, introduced
by Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, would
postpone the initiative while the Senate
preferred to send it back to the voters with
SB 6088. This was a heated issue throughout session as the teacher union opposed
both approaches. The Senate passed SB
6088 by a vote of 27-22 while the House
passed their version by a vote of 72-26
where a two-thirds vote was necessary.
This dragged on through the third special
session where a budget deal was reached
including a two-year delay of the I-1351