A group of students from River HomeLink recently got a real-life lesson on how the state legislative branch enacts laws by testifying before the Washington Senate Committee on Transportation about driver's education options.
Sen. Don Benton invited the students, in grades 8-12, to testify on Feb. 25 to the transportation committee about why driver's education courses should include state-approved online options, which is a part of Senate Bill 5975 – Access Washington.
Currently, Washington residents are not allowed to take driver's education courses online as part of the licensing process. About 20 River HomeLink students want to change that. The group wrote a proposal last month and presented the idea of allowing state-approved online driver's education courses as part of the licensing process to numerous legislators and senators, including Reps. Paul Harris, Liz Pike, Brandon Vick and Lynda Wilson; Sens. Jan Angel, Don Benton and Ann Rivers; and others.
Following the River HomeLink students' presentation, Angel and Benton proposed SB5975, which includes allowing state-approved online driver's education courses as part of the licensing process, and invited the students to Olympia to testify before the senate transportation committee.
The students spent four weeks preparing their presentation for the legislators, said Malinda Rew, River HomeLink's ASB Secretary. "The students experienced government in a way that they would not have been able to in a classroom. They did a fantastic job and were well received by the senate committee."
River HomeLink is a K-12 public homeschool program that provides academic services for both on- and off-campus studies to students and families in Battle Ground Public Schools.
