SB 5095 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning school districts' authority to contract indebtedness for school construction.

This bill allows Washington school districts to issue bonds for school construction under $250,000 without requiring voter approval, streamlining funding for smaller projects. Districts must still secure voter approval for facility levies under RCW 84.52.053 and hold public hearings for bonds exceeding $250,000, including details on purpose, repayment, and terms. The law modifies existing debt authority (RCW 28A.530.080) to remove voter approval requirements for smaller bond issuances while maintaining transparency measures. It directly affects school districts managing capital projects, enabling faster access to funds for construction, modernization, or remodeling.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Feb 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Second Substitute Bill · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered and moved to the Ways & Means committee, with its effective date updated. The most significant change adds a requirement that school districts must give up (forgo) state funding assistance for a project to be eligible to issue nonvoted bonds for construction. Additionally, the bill now explicitly states that state funding assistance cannot be provided for projects funded by these new bonds.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include amendments to RCW 28A.525.162, which governs state funding allotments, in addition to the existing debt authority section.

TIMELINE

The bill was renumbered from S-0964.1 to S-2035.1 and changed from a 'Substitute Bill' to a 'Second Substitute Bill'.

The date the bill was first read in the Senate was changed from February 5, 2025, to February 28, 2025.

SCOPE

The bill's committee assignment was changed from 'Early Learning & K-12 Education' to 'Ways & Means'.

The act description was updated to reflect that it now amends two separate RCW sections (28A.530.080 and 28A.525.162) instead of just one.

A new section was added to amend RCW 28A.525.162, clarifying rules for state funding allotments and calculations.

REQUIREMENT

A new condition requires school districts to forgo state funding assistance for a project to be eligible to issue nonvoted bonds for construction.

A new provision explicitly prohibits state funding assistance for any project that is funded using proceeds from nonvoted bonds authorized under the debt authority section.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.

upper

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors