SB 5523 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning the role of students on the governing boards of institutions of higher education.

SB 5523 requires community college districts in Washington to appoint a student trustee to their governing boards. The student trustee, selected by the governor from a list submitted by student governments, must be a full-time student (enrolled in at least 10 credits) in good academic standing. The bill mandates this position for all community college districts, with the student serving a one-year term starting July 2026, and grants them voting rights on board matters. This policy aims to incorporate student perspectives directly into governance decisions affecting campus life and services.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated from a Senate Bill to a Substitute Bill, reflecting procedural changes such as a new sponsor committee and a revised reading date. Substantively, the text was reformatted for clarity, and a specific quorum requirement was modified to exclude the student trustee from the count, ensuring the student member does not block board meetings.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a standard legislative draft to a substitute bill format, including updated sponsorship attribution and reading dates.

REQUIREMENT

The quorum rule for the board of trustees was changed to require a majority of 'appointed trustees currently serving' rather than a fixed number of three members, effectively removing the student trustee from the quorum calculation.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Higher Education & Workforce Development.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors