With the 2023-2024 state legislative session just in its beginning stages, new bills are filed every day, ranging from environmental legislation aiming to combat climate change to expanding mental health access. SB 5441 is among the hundreds of bills that have been introduced into session so far, which is a bill that aims to require all schools in Washington to adopt more inclusive and diverse curriculums in public schools so that more diverse perspectives, histories, and cultures will be woven into curriculums.  

What is also unique about this bill is that the idea and the original bill language were brought up and written by the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, colloquially known as LYAC. LYAC is a nonpartisan youth-led committee empowered by state law with the goal to represent the official voice of Washington youth to the Legislature and is made up of 22 youth of diverse backgrounds and beliefs from across the state.  

If you are interested in becoming involved in this bill, students are both encouraged and welcome to comment or testify for the bill through the Washington State Legislature website. To testify, you can choose to submit a written testimony, provide testimony over Zoom, or provide testimony in-person in Olympia.  

LYAC also holds an event every year called Action Day which is a day when students are invited to the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to learn about the legislature, network with other students, participate in workshops, and learn from expert panelists including legislators. All youth are welcome to join in, whether or not you have any prior related experience. Students can sign up for Action Day here: Action Day | Washington LYAC (walyac.org)  

Further information on how youth can get involved in our state legislature can be found on the LYAC Instagram page, which can be found @washingtonlyac and the website https://www.walyac.org/.