When I moved to Washington three years ago with no job and minimal connections, I was eager to explore what folks were doing around here towards environmental and sustainability education. I discovered E3 Washington and after connecting with then co-chair, Sylvia Hadnot, I knew I wanted to get involved. But how? As an established outdoor educator with a budding interest in politics and policy, the Catalyst Committee stood out as a place where I could facilitate long-lasting, systemic change in the industry. At the start of 2023, I raised my hand to help chair these efforts.
What is the Catalyst Committee?
The Catalyst Committee leads E3 Washington’s efforts to advocate for strong environmental and sustainability education policies and programs across our state and to support national efforts by the NAAEE. Our goal is to develop a collaborative and community-centric approach towards policy and advocacy. This means centering the experiences and needs of folks doing the work on the ground, maintaining transparency in the process, and sharing opportunities for involvement across the network. We’re not there yet, but we’re excited to be working towards those goals.
Without a ton of experience in the world of politics, the first 15 months have been a great opportunity to learn. Because I believe that transparency, knowledge, and civic engagement are key to achieving equity, I’d like to share some of the key lessons I’ve learned:
Two-year cycles. The Washington legislature operates on a two-year biennium cycle with a 105-day session in odd years and a 60-day session in even years, both of which typically begin in early-January.
The odd years are most important. Most big ticket legislation and budget items unfold during odd years, shortly after November elections.
Every bill needs a sponsor and a committee. All new legislative bills require a sponsor and must pass out of their respective committee before going to the floor. A bill can begin in the house or the Senate, but ultimately must pass both chambers and be signed by the Governor to become law.
The budget is the big bill. Every year, the legislature must pass a budget. Much of the funding that supports our programs and environmental education grant opportunities lives in the budget bills. The budget is where we can have tangible impact every year.
In past years, the E3 Catalyst Committee was deeply involved in getting key legislative priorities passed, including the 2022 Outdoors Schools for All initiative, licensing outdoor nature-based child care programs, and the 2018 passage of ClimeTime, funding for science teacher training opportunities around climate science.
What happened in 2024?
During the 2024 legislative session, the E3 Catalyst Committee developed a list of legislative priorities that outlined all of the key bills and budget items that we were supporting. This list was shared with lawmakers in the budget appropriations committee to outline the priorities that we and our partners were highlighting. In the end, many of the items did not pass, but we are eager to build on the momentum and continue to advocate for those items next year. Some key wins from this session include:
Budget items in the 2024 Supplemental Operating Budget:
$250K increase towards the FieldSTEM program.
$150K to develop a “water safety curriculum in public schools”
$100K for school districts to develop and implement capacity building supports for community-based youth development
What’s coming next?
After a successful reboot and onboarding in 2024, the Catalyst Committee is excited to hit the ground running in preparation for the next biennium. Over the year, we’ll be meeting with E3 members, community leaders, and lawmakers to outline the needs and policy solutions that we hope to outline and advocate for in 2025. As we continue along the path towards being a truly community-centric advocacy group, we are eager to learn from our members. If you have a legislative need or state budgetary request, please reach out to Dylan and join an E3 Catalyst Committee meeting to share your experience.
