1.25.16

Suggested lead:   As they'd promised, lawmakers in the state House on Monday took a big step toward solving Washington's K-12 funding crisis. Dan Frizzell has that story.

Wrap (:85 total):  The bipartisan bill OK'd by a 2-to-1 margin in the House Monday locks the Legislature into solving one of the thorniest problems facing lawmakers:  Ending the reliance on local levies -- paid for by local taxpayers -- to compensate teachers.  Lawmakers and the Supreme Court agree it's the state's responsibility, not the districts', and taking on that burden is said to be the final hurdle to fully funding basic education.  Representative Kristine Lytton, the Anacortes Democrat who chairs the House Finance Committee, is on the bipartisan task force appointed by the governor last year to come up with a plan that could pass both chambers of Washington's divided Legislature. She talked to reporters a few minutes after the votes were counted.

LYTTON:  "Is this as strong a bill a some people want?  No.  Is it too strong for other people?  Probably.  But what we want to do is to make sure that we have the opportunity to set the course, and we believe we set the course.  This is the biggest part of fulfilling our McCleary obligation to the one million children in our state." [:20]. 

Next step for the landmark bill is approval by the Senate, but rumors are swirling in Olympia saying a powerful Republican committee chair has said the bill isn't getting any support in his caucus.  This despite the fact that it was the product of Republicans and Democrats working together on the governor's task force.  We'll have more as the story develops.  At the state Capitol, I’m Dan Frizzell.