Thousands of students in Washington state have been issued special education plans that include an expectation that the school will use physical restraints, which can include teachers teachers laying on top of students, physical restraining devices, chokeholds and isolation rooms...HB 1240 bill promotes the use of positive intervention strategies. Positive behavior intervention and therapies like applied behavioral analysis genuinely improve student behavior.

SHB 1240 (isolation and restraint of students) has not been scheduled for an executive session in the Senate Education Committee.  We need all of you to please call (360.786.7641) and email Sen. Litzow <Steve.Litzow@leg.wa.gov> and ask him to schedule SHB1240 for an executive session before the Wednesday deadline.

It's especially helpful for Senator Litzow to hear from his own constituents from the 41st legislative district (SW Bellevue, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Renton)

The bill sponsor, Representative Pollet worked very hard to accommodate input from ALL stakeholders and the Senate Education Committee had already passed out the companion bill.

If you’re looking for what to say, consider:

“Hello, my name is (____________). I’m a parent of a child with autism.  Regulating seclusion and restraints of students is very important to me and my family.  This issue is also a priority for Washington State PTA. You already voted to pass a similar bill out this committee last month.  I am asking you to please consider supporting this bill. Thank you very much.”

Please be polite, ask the legislative aide (Kyle Burleigh) to let you know after your senator  has agreed to schedule the bill for an executive session. If the person on the phone asks questions you don’t have an answer to, please refer them to Ben Buccholz (509) 303-9585 or Arzu Forough (425)590-7231.

Thank you for standing together with us for change.

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Restraint and Seclusion One Pager (2-sided)