SB 5179 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Establishing a complaint process to address noncompliance with certain state education laws.

SB 5179 establishes a statewide complaint process for students, parents, and community members to address noncompliance with specific state education laws by local school districts. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must create this process by July 2026 to investigate both "limited" complaints impacting individuals and "broad" complaints affecting groups or entire districts. Complainants are required to exhaust local complaint procedures or notify the district superintendent before filing with OSPI. If noncompliance is found, the school district must adopt and submit a compliance action plan. This process covers state laws concerning civil rights, harassment, curriculum requirements, the use of restraint or isolation, and student discipline.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from S-0315.2 to S-1186.1 and updated with new filing dates and committee assignments. A minor wording change clarifies that the person intending to file a complaint must provide notice to the superintendent if no existing procedures exist. The list of linked complaint processes was slightly adjusted to refer to the 'complaint process' rather than 'complaint procedures' in one instance, and the term 'policies' was changed to 'process' in the student handbook requirements.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from S-0315.2 to S-1186.1 and the status was updated to 'Substitute Bill' with new read dates and committee sponsorship details.

Minor wording adjustments changed 'complaint procedures' to 'complaint process' in two sections regarding the ombuds office and student handbooks.

REQUIREMENT

A clarification was added stating that the person who intends to file a complaint must provide notice to the superintendent if no existing complaint procedures exist.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2025

How they voted

32–19

Passed

Total votes 51

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican20

1 Yea 19 Nay

95% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (32-19)

senate

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

1 primary · 10 co-sponsors