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Washington: HB1634

Providing school districts and public schools with assistance to coordinate comprehensive behavioral health supports for students.

Topics

Children's Health & School Nutrition

Bill Information

MAHA Not Approved

Summary

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework to support behavioral health services in Washington state's public schools by expanding the role of regional school safety centers. The bill requires these centers to create a statewide network that provides extensive assistance to school districts, including developing and implementing plans for recognizing and responding to student emotional and behavioral distress, providing suicide prevention training, facilitating partnerships with behavioral health care providers, and building school capacity to identify and support students needing mental health services. A key new provision is the creation of a technical assistance and training network comprised of statewide and regional partners with expertise in behavioral health, which will offer direct support to school districts through activities like conducting needs assessments, providing professional development, helping design evidence-based behavioral health programs, creating resource materials, developing policies, facilitating community partnerships, and offering ongoing consultation.

Introduced

01/28/2025

In Committee

02/25/2026

Crossed Over

02/17/2026

Passed

03/23/2026

Enacted

03/23/2026

Sponsors

My-Linh Thai

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7926my-linh.thai@leg.wa.gov

Carolyn Eslick

Republican Representative (WA)

360-786-7816carolyn.eslick@leg.wa.gov

Julia Reed

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7814julia.reed@leg.wa.gov

Julio Cortes

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7840julio.cortes@leg.wa.gov

Beth Doglio

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7940beth.doglio@leg.wa.gov

Roger Goodman

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7878roger.goodman@leg.wa.gov

Osman Salahuddin

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7936osman.salahuddin@leg.wa.gov

Steve Bergquist

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7862steve.bergquist@leg.wa.gov

Shaun Scott

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7920shaun.scott@leg.wa.gov

Lisa Parshley

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7992lisa.parshley@leg.wa.gov

Janice Zahn

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7894janice.zahn@leg.wa.gov

Greg Nance

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7842greg.nance@leg.wa.gov

Clyde Shavers

Democratic Representative (WA)

360-786-7884clyde.shavers@leg.wa.gov

Activity

03/23/2026

Effective date 6/11/2026.

03/23/2026

Chapter 129, 2026 Laws.

03/23/2026

Governor signed.

03/12/2026

Delivered to Governor.

03/11/2026

President signed.

03/11/2026

Speaker signed.

03/06/2026

Third reading, passed; yeas, 47; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.

03/06/2026

Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

02/27/2026

Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

02/25/2026

Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

02/25/2026

Minority; without recommendation.

02/25/2026

Minority; do not pass.

02/25/2026

EDU - Majority; do pass.

02/25/2026

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.

02/25/2026

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education Executive Session (10:30:00 2/25/2026 Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education)

02/24/2026

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.

02/24/2026

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education Public Hearing (08:00:00 2/24/2026 Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education)

02/19/2026

First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.

02/17/2026

Third reading, passed; yeas, 95; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 1.

02/17/2026

Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

02/17/2026

Floor amendment

02/17/2026

3rd substitute bill substituted

02/17/2026

House Floor Amendment - Thai 1634-S3 AMH THAI WARG 300

02/15/2026

House Floor Amendment - Eslick 1634-S3 AMH ESLI WARG 298

02/14/2026

Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

02/09/2026

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

02/09/2026

Minority; do not pass.

02/09/2026

APP - Majority; 3rd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

02/09/2026

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.

02/09/2026

House Committee on Appropriations Executive Session (10:30:00 2/9/2026 House Committee on Appropriations)

02/06/2026

Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.

02/06/2026

House Committee on Appropriations Public Hearing (10:30:00 2/6/2026 House Committee on Appropriations)

01/26/2026

Referred to Appropriations.

01/22/2026

Minority; without recommendation.

01/22/2026

Minority; do not pass.

01/22/2026

ED - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

01/22/2026

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM.

01/22/2026

House Committee on Education Executive Session (08:00:00 1/22/2026 House Committee on Education)

01/13/2026

Public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 4:00 PM.

01/13/2026

House Committee on Education Public Hearing (16:00:00 1/13/2026 House Committee on Education)

01/12/2026

Referred to Education.

01/12/2026

Committee relieved of further consideration.

01/12/2026

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

02/21/2025

Referred to Appropriations.

02/20/2025

Minority; without recommendation.

02/20/2025

Minority; do not pass.

02/20/2025

ED - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

02/20/2025

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM.

02/20/2025

House Committee on Education Executive Session (08:00:00 2/20/2025 House Committee on Education)

02/17/2025

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Education at 1:30 PM.

02/17/2025

House Committee on Education Executive Session (13:30:00 2/17/2025 House Committee on Education)

02/10/2025

Public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 1:30 PM.

02/10/2025

House Committee on Education Public Hearing (13:30:00 2/10/2025 House Committee on Education)

01/28/2025

First reading, referred to Education.

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