Action for Media Education celebrates new media literacy funding for Washington’s educators!

Action for Media Education is excited to announce the biggest legislative win yet for Washington’s media literacy community!

A huge thanks to the incredible Senator Marko Liias! Senator Liias has served as the primary sponsor of all our media literacy legislation since 2016 when Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a media literacy bill. Also, to supporters all across our state, your many calls and emails have really made a difference!

This new 2021 legislation sponsored by Senator Liias makes possible increased funding to support media literacy-based activities throughout Washington. We are especially ecstatic that this new legislation will remain in effect until July 31, 2031!

Passage of this new bill will make it possible for us to:

• Continue the very successful media literacy grant program initiated with legislation passed in 2019.
• Provide grants for the formation of professional learning communities. These communities will share challenges their districts face and explore new strategies for integrating media literacy education in their classrooms.
• Support two media literacy conferences held in eastern and western Washington.

Read more about HB1365 here.

Washington’s new bill would allow our state to maintain its position of leadership in passing media literacy legislation.

• The first media literacy bill in the nation was passed here in Washington in 2016. This bill has become a model for other states. Read more about our success in passing SSB 6273 here.
• In 2017, a follow-up bill was passed. Read more about our continuing success with SSB 5449.
• In 2019, new legislation establishing a media literacy grant program was passed. Read more about Washington’s new media literacy grant program.
• In 2020 a budget proviso making it possible to conduct 5 pre-conferences across the state was passed but later deleted by executive order along with many other provisos during the pandemic.