---
type: "Bill"
title: "Aligning the office of the superintendent of public instruction's background check authority with that of the department of early learning."
description: "Aligning the office of the superintendent of public instruction's background check authority with that of the department of early learning."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "SB 5605"
citation: "Washington SB 5605 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["PUBLIC FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS", "SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION", "OFFICE (OSPI)", "EARLY LEARNING", "DEPARTMENT", "SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS", "DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES", "INDIVIDUALS WITH"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Walsh"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 39
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2017-01-31"
last_action: "2017-07-07"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/8ca6c5f2-bdb1-4bff-b890-9be8c84d5a1f"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5605&year=2017"
source_hash: "c671126b6bccbc774d7de6905619be079f71f5ee53db2f78c6e53fec63294727"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wa"]
---

# Washington SB 5605 (2017-2018) — Aligning the office of the superintendent of public instruction's background check authority with that of the department of early learning.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5605.htm)
2. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5605-S.htm)

## Votes

- Final Passage (#18) — **93–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#19) — **49–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Walsh — primary (person)
- Billig — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-01-31** First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education. `reading-1`
- **2017-02-14** EDU - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2017-02-14** And refer to Ways & Means. `referral-committee`
- **2017-02-16** Referred to Ways & Means.
- **2017-04-19** WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Early Learning & K-12 Education.
- **2017-04-19** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2017-04-20** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2017-04-24** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-05-23** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-06-13** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2017-06-21** Returned to Rules.
- **2017-06-21** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-06-30** Rules suspended.
- **2017-06-30** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2017-06-30** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2017-02-14** EDU - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2017-02-14** And refer to Ways & Means. `referral-committee`
- **2017-02-16** Referred to Ways & Means.
- **2017-04-19** WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Early Learning & K-12 Education.
- **2017-04-19** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2017-04-20** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2017-04-24** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-05-23** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-06-21** Returned to Rules.
- **2017-06-21** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-06-30** Rules suspended.
- **2017-06-30** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2017-06-30** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2017-06-30** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2017-06-30** Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2017-06-30** Read first time, rules suspended, and placed on second reading calendar. `reading-1`
- **2017-06-30** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2017-06-30** Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 5. `reading-3`
- **2017-06-30** President signed. `passage`
- **2017-06-30** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2017-06-30** Delivered to Governor.
- **2017-07-07** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2017-07-07** Chapter 33, 2017 Laws 3rd Special Session. `became-law`
- **2017-07-07** Effective date 10/19/2017. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/8ca6c5f2-bdb1-4bff-b890-9be8c84d5a1f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).