HB 1587 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Encouraging local government partner promise scholarship programs within the opportunity scholarship program.

House Bill 1587 encourages local governments, including municipalities, counties, and federally recognized Indian tribes, to establish their own "promise scholarship programs" for Washington students. These local programs will operate within the existing Washington state opportunity scholarship program, which will administer the scholarships, but local governments can set their own student eligibility rules and determine which educational programs to support. The scholarships aim to cover tuition and fees not met by other state aid, with local governments having the option to provide additional funds for expenses like books. The bill also authorizes state matching funds, up to $300,000 per local program annually, to support these efforts and expand access to postsecondary education.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 24, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Second Substitute Bill → Second Substitute Passed Legislature · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill adds a certification page to the official record and modifies eligibility rules for local government scholarship programs. The most significant change is that students must now attend programs approved by the state board for community and technical colleges, replacing the previous requirement to attend programs defined solely by the local government. This change standardizes program approval to ensure consistency across different local jurisdictions.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding program oversight changed from being entirely locally defined to requiring state board approval for specific professional-technical programs.

TECHNICAL

Added a formal 'Certification of Enrollment' page to the end of the bill to document its passage by the House and Senate.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed eligibility requirements so students must attend professional-technical programs approved by the state board for community and technical colleges, rather than programs defined only by the local government partner.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 14, 2025 · House Apr 19, 2025

How they voted

35–16

Passed

Total votes 51

Apr 14, 2025

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican20

4 Yea 16 Nay

80% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Apr 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 57; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 5.

lower

Apr 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments.

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (35-16)

senate

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Higher Education & Workforce Development.

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

HEWD - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 AM.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 AM.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors