A flurry of bills were officially signed into Washington state law Wednesday afternoon as the governor continued to take action on legislation passed by lawmakers during this year’s session.

Several of the bills were geared towards helping students, while others protect employees and consumers.

An anti-hazing bill was among the first of the laws regarding students the governor signed. House Bill 1751, or “Sam’s Law,” introduced by Rep. Mari Leavitt, D-University Place, requires universities to report incidents of hazing, as well as provide orientation for new students on how to recognize and report hazing.

The governor thanked the parents of Sam Martinez, who brought the bill to the legislature to honor their son. Martinez died in a hazing incident at Washington State University in 2019.

Other signed bills that aimed at helping students include:

House Bill 1736: Introduced by Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, it lays the foundation for a student loan program in the state, which won’t be able to be funded until the 2023-25 biennium due to a “technical error,” according to the governor. The bill aims to provide a more affordable loan program for students than loans through the federal government.

House Bill 1835: Introduced by Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, it creates a pilot program for students trying to enroll in post-secondary education by providing help filling out federal and state aid forms free of charge.

House Bill 1805: Sponsored by Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, it...

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