Newly elected State Representative Brock Jackley, D-Manchester, co-sponsored a bill that would allow the passage of school levies and bonds with a simple majority vote. Although it won’t help this time around, it could be good news for the South Kitsap School District. The district, which has another levy vote scheduled for February 7, has failed to pass its levies its last several attempts. However, it has garnered more than 50 percent of the vote in each case, just not the 60 percent now required.

Jackley, a former teacher, said that the bill “provides voters an opportunity to speak on the importance of education.” He added that in South Kitsap the junior high school has no band, sports or other extracurricular activity because of lack of funding. “The education of our students is a priority.”

HB1009 was first read on Jan. 9 and referred to the education committee.
Representative Patricia Lantz., D-Gig Harbor is the co-sponsor of the bill.