Week two of the 2024 legislative session is at an end. Here’s a quick recap of the progress some of our top priority bills have made so far.

At Children’s Alliance, we see a future in which all of Washington's children have an abundance of what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.  Our 2024 legislative agenda highlights our policy priorities in our three primary issue areas: early learning, health equity, and economic justice.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book was released today and revealed that Washington state ranks 16th in the nation for overall child well-being, slipping down one spot from 2022.

We have much to celebrate at the close of the 2023 legislative session. Together with our members and partners, we achieved significant wins on youth mental health, oral health care, child care and much more.

Over the weekend, the Washington legislature unveiled a new, two-year state budget that boosts funding for a variety of programs that will positively impact Washington’s children and families.

The state House and Senate released their budget proposals for the 2023-25 biennium and Children’s Alliance was pleased to see positive investments in kids, families and racial equity in each of them.

As we envision expanding and improving Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) classrooms, we also value protecting families’ present access to this program. Current TK classrooms should continue to operate as they prepare to become TTK classrooms.

Governor Inslee's proposed 2023-25 budget was released on December 14 and it contained a robust set of proposals to support Washington’s children and families.

We have an opportunity this 2023 legislative session to ensure all families have access to high quality early learning programs.

Here in Washington, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated longstanding inequities faced by kids and families in communities of color. Access to health care, high-quality early experiences for children ages birth to 5, and progressive revenue are promising strategies to ensure that every child has an abundance of what they need to grow up into the people they dream of becoming.

What were the major achievements in early learning?This year, our state legislature championed children and families by passing and funding Senate Bill 5793: this is a big win to address the equity gap in who has a voice at the table and who gets to help shape policies and programs that help Washington families thrive.

Despite its short length, this legislative session bore significant victories for kids and families. And for the second year in a row, advocates from across the state were able to make their voices heard in Olympia by signing in to support or oppose bills and give testimony remotely. We hope to see the legislature continue this increased accessibility in the years to come, so that even more Washingtonians can participate in the process.

The House and Senate released their budgets earlier this week. Overall, we were pleased to see many of our priorities reflected in both budgets, which will result in positive impacts for our state’s children and families.

The 2022 legislative session is progressing fast, we’re already past the halfway point! Here’s an update on some of our top priority bills.

As we continue through the pandemic, we must address the early learning workforce crisis which impacts child wellbeing and the ability for workers across all industries to continue working.

We believe in the potential of every child. But all too often, poverty, racism and the pandemic are putting opportunity out of reach.

Our legislative agenda seeks to protect kids, remove barriers and create pathways to success—so that Washington’s children and families stay strong, no matter what challenges we face.

This year, the Early Learning Action Alliance recognized 21 lawmakers with Crayon Awards for outstanding leadership in early learning. Their commitment to advancing policies and funding early learning over the last year has been crucial for Washington’s children and families.

This July 1, kids and families across the state should begin to feel the effects of the Fair Start for Kids Act—the historic investment in early learning that state lawmakers passed during the 2021 legislative session.

Parents, community leaders and policymakers came together and made historic progress that will help to give all of Washington’s children a great start.