OLYMPIA, Wash.- A bill which will add Representative John McCoy’s name to Washington’s tribal history curriculum passed the State Senate today and will likely become law in the coming weeks.
HB 1879 will rename tribal sovereignty history curriculum to the John McCoy (lulilaš) Since Time Immemorial curriculum. McCoy was a representative in the State House and an indigenous rights advocate who died in June 2023. The bill was approved by both chambers with unanimous support.
A separate policy, HB 1332, would require all Washington school districts to implement the curriculum and to teach about their nearest federally recognized tribe in social studies materials by 2026.
The bill mandating that the curriculum be used across the Evergreen State was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 21. It is unclear whether it will make it to the floor for a vote.
If HB 1332 fails to find approval by the Senate, it is possible that the bill which renames the curriculum to honor the late representative will become law while the policy which implements the teaching material itself does not.
