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Haler bills to expand WSU
Tri-Cities, explore WASL alternatives to be signed into law at local
ceremonies
Rep.
Larry Haler says he’s
pleased the bill to expand WSU Tri-Cities passed earlier this month by
the Legislature will be signed into law Wednesday at the soon-to-be
four-year university.
“It was the overwhelming
support from people in our communities that moved this bill through
Olympia. It’s only appropriate that they have an opportunity to witness
the signing of this bill into law at the very place it will transform. I
expect the ceremony will be very well-attended,” said Haler, who was
lead Republican sponsor of House Bill 2867.
The measure, which directs WSU Tri-Cities to prepare a plan for becoming
a four-year institution by the start of the 2007 academic year, received
final legislative approval March 3.
Gov. Christine Gregoire
opted to sign HB 2867 and 10 other bills Wednesday at the WSU campus,
starting at 2 p.m. in the West Building atrium.
Her schedule includes a
stop at the Richland School District headquarters, where Haler expects
she will sign House Bill 2414, his bill to explore alternatives to the
Washington Assessment of Student Learning.
HB 2414 will allow six
school districts to use assessments other than the WASL to gauge the
math and reading performance of students in third, fifth, sixth and
eighth grades. It responds to concerns about the WASL raised by Richland
school officials, and it’s likely Richland will be among the school
districts involved in the testing, Haler said.
“My WASL bill is about
assessing our education system, my WSU bill is about access to
education, and both of them represent turning points – they say we’re
willing to make changes, to be flexible, to try new things to help our
students succeed, ” said Haler.
Tomorrow’s WSU Tri-Cities
bill signings will include House Bill 1384, introduced by Haler, which
would let Energy Northwest use a competitive negotiation process rather
than a sealed bid process for construction and operation of renewable
energy projects, and four water-related bills: HB 3316, authorizing
bonds to finance projects related to the Columbia River Basin water
supply development program; Senate Bill 6581, to study in-stream flows
to the Hanford Reach; Senate Bill 6151, related to conservation
practices in the Odessa sub-area aquifer; and Senate Bill 6861, related
to domestic water use.
House Bills 2417, 2457 and
2939, along with Senate Bills 6257 and 6382 also will be signed at
WSU-Tri-Cities.
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For more information, contact:
Brendon Wold, Public
Information Officer: (360) 786-7698
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