WA People
BILL · 2025–26 SESSION

HB 1796: School construction debt

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

Summary

  • Authorizes school districts to contract indebtedness and issue bonds without a vote of the people, subject to the current indebtedness limit of 0.375 percent, for the purpose of erecting buildings and providing the necessary furniture, apparatus, or equipment.
  • Provides that this authority is limited to school districts that have passed a capital levy and have not been on binding conditions in the three years preceding the date of the contract.
  • Creates other requirements related to this authority.

From the House Bill Report (HB 1796), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗

Enacted Enacted · Chapter 170, Laws of 2026
  1. IntroducedFeb 3, 2025
  2. Out of committeeFeb 21, 2025
  3. Passed HouseMar 10, 2025
  4. Passed SenateMar 5, 2026
  5. GovernorMar 24, 2026
  6. LawMar 24, 2026
Prime sponsor
Lisa Callan (D-5)
Introduced
February 3, 2025 in the House
Last action
March 24, 2026
Session law
Chapter 170, Laws of 2026
Companion bill
SB 5095
Budget
Has a fiscal note

AN ACT Relating to school districts' authority to contract indebtedness for school construction;

Sponsors

Prime sponsor: Lisa Callan (D-5)

8 co-sponsors (8 Democrats, 0 Republicans)

April Berg D-44Sharon Tomiko Santos D-37Lisa Parshley D-22Alex Ramel D-40Sharon Wylie D-49Julia Reed D-36Timm Ormsby D-3Natasha Hill D-3

Votes

House · 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Passed March 10, 2025
Version voted on: HB 1796
85 Yea 10 Nay 0 Absent 3 Excused
PartyYeaNayAbsentExcused
Democrat58001
Republican271002
How each member voted

Yea (85)

Excused (3)

Permalink to this vote

House · 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Passed January 15, 2026
Version voted on: HB 1796
78 Yea 19 Nay 0 Absent 1 Excused
PartyYeaNayAbsentExcused
Democrat58001
Republican201900
How each member voted

Yea (78)

Excused (1)

Permalink to this vote

Senate · 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Passed March 5, 2026
Version voted on: HB 1796
30 Yea 18 Nay 0 Absent 1 Excused
PartyYeaNayAbsentExcused
Democrat28101
Republican21700
How each member voted

Excused (1)

Permalink to this vote

House · Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Passed March 11, 2026
Version voted on: HB 1796
95 Yea 2 Nay 0 Absent 1 Excused
PartyYeaNayAbsentExcused
Democrat59000
Republican36201
How each member voted

Yea (95)

Nay (2)

Excused (1)

Permalink to this vote

History

  1. Effective date 6/11/2026.
  2. Chapter 170, 2026 Laws.
  3. Governor signed.
  4. President signed.
  5. Delivered to Governor.
  6. Speaker signed.
  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 95; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 1.
  8. House concurred in Senate amendments.
  9. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
  10. Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 18; absent, 0; excused, 1.
  11. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
  12. Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
  13. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
  14. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
  15. Minority; without recommendation.
  16. Minority; do not pass.
  17. WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
  18. Referred to Ways & Means.
  19. Minority; without recommendation.
  20. And refer to Ways & Means.
  21. EDU - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
  22. First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.
  23. Third reading, passed; yeas, 78; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 1.
  24. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
  25. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on third reading.
  26. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  27. By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.
  28. Minority; do not pass.
  29. WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Early Learning & K-12 Education.
  30. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
  31. Referred to Ways & Means.
  32. And refer to Ways & Means.
  33. Minority; do not pass.
  34. EDU - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
  35. First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.
  36. Third reading, passed; yeas, 85; nays, 10; absent, 0; excused, 3.
  37. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
  38. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
  39. Referred to Rules 2 Review.
  40. Minority; do not pass.
  41. Minority; without recommendation.
  42. CB - Majority; do pass.
  43. CB - Executive action taken by committee.
  44. First reading, referred to Capital Budget.

HB 1796 in other sessions

Bill numbers restart every two years, so the same number is a different bill in each session.

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