Will Governor Gregoire force committee chair to allow a Senate vote on charter school bill?
Today the charter school bill introduced in the state Senate either proceeds or dies. The Chair of that committee, Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (D-Bothell) is trying to block the vote on the bill. Today the Everett Herald reports that the Governor has intervened.
What will happen is anybody’s guess. Senator Tom (D-Medina) and Senator Litzow (R-Mercer Island), introduced the charter school bill, SB 6202, in the Senate. Representative Pettigrew (D-Seattle) and Representative Anderson (R-Fall City) introduced the companion bill, HB 2428, in the House.
Gov. Chris Gregoire worked today to end a dispute among Senate education committee members that threatens to sink the governor's bill for tougher evaluation of teachers and principals.
A bipartisan majority on the committee wants to vote on a charter school bill but the chairwoman, Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, won't let it happen.
As a result, backers of charter schools have steadfastly refused to vote out any other bills, including the governor's evaluation legislation.
In the face of this deadlock, McAuliffe canceled the committee's Thursday meeting that was the last one scheduled before today's 5 p.m. cut-off for policy bills.
This morning Gregoire dropped into Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown's office reportedly for a chat with Brown, McAuliffe, and Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, the prime sponsor of the charter school bill.
There is still time for the committee to meet today but as of 11 a.m. nothing had been announced.
Our new Legislative Memo, “Lifting the State Ban on Charter Schools,” provides an analysis of these House and Senate charter school bills, along with the research showing that charter public schools are popular with parents and good for students.
