---
type: "Bill"
title: "Establishing rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators."
description: "Establishing rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2023-2024"
identifier: "HB 1277"
citation: "Washington HB 1277 (2023-2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Donaghy"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 43
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2023-01-12"
last_action: "2024-03-19"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c845306b-23db-4944-95e3-5e4b28aeb48b"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1277&year=2023"
source_hash: "07da00980ff8c46ac9a147ec51dbf055f0d2480093e407617111abb3f2573b52"
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 HB 1277 (2023-2024) — Establishing rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators.

## 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/2023-24/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/1277.htm)
2. **Engrossed Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2023-24/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/1277-S.E.htm)
3. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2023-24/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/1277-S.htm)
4. **Substitute Passed Legislature** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2023-24/Htm/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/1277-S.PL.htm)

## Votes

- Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#4) — **95–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#5) — **98–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#13) — **95–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#33) — **49–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Donaghy — primary (person)
- Harris — cosponsor (person)
- Kloba — cosponsor (person)
- Ormsby — cosponsor (person)
- Pollet — cosponsor (person)
- Reed — cosponsor (person)
- Reeves — cosponsor (person)
- Slatter — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2023-01-12** First reading, referred to Education. `reading-1`
- **2023-01-19** Public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM.
- **2023-01-26** Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM.
- **2023-01-26** ED - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `substitution`
- **2023-01-30** Referred to Rules 2 Review. `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-03** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee. `reading-2`
- **2023-02-27** 1st substitute bill substituted (ED 23). `substitution`
- **2023-02-27** Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- **2023-02-27** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2023-02-27** Third reading, passed; yeas, 95; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 3. `reading-3`
- **2023-03-01** First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education. `reading-1`
- **2023-03-09** Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 1:30 PM.
- **2023-03-13** Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 1:30 PM.
- **2023-03-13** EDU - Majority; do pass. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2023-03-15** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2023-04-11** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee. `reading-2`
- **2023-04-17** Senate Rules "X" file.
- **2023-04-23** By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.
- **2024-01-08** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2024-01-09** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on third reading. `reading-3`
- **2024-01-10** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2024-01-10** Third reading, passed; yeas, 98; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2024-01-12** First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education. `reading-1`
- **2024-02-14** Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.
- **2024-02-21** Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.
- **2024-02-21** EDU - Majority; do pass with amendment(s). `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-02-21** And refer to Ways & Means. `referral-committee`
- **2024-02-21** Referred to Ways & Means. `referral-committee`
- **2024-02-23** Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
- **2024-02-23** WM - Majority; without recommendation.
- **2024-02-26** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2024-02-27** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee. `reading-2`
- **2024-02-29** Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- **2024-02-29** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2024-02-29** Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2024-03-05** House concurred in Senate amendments.
- **2024-03-05** Passed final passage; yeas, 95; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2. `passage`
- **2024-03-06** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2024-03-07** President signed. `passage`
- **2024-03-07** Delivered to Governor. `executive-receipt`
- **2024-03-19** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2024-03-19** Chapter 173, 2024 Laws. `became-law`
- **2024-03-19** Effective date 6/6/2024. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c845306b-23db-4944-95e3-5e4b28aeb48b`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).