Photo: Senator Billig on the Senate Floor.

Friends and neighbors,

Today marks the 93rd day of the 105-day legislative session. This week we are passing bills from the opposite chamber and also starting the process of reconciling the House and Senate budgets so we can arrive at final budgets that deliver for the people of Washington state and have enough support to pass both the House and Senate in the final days of session.

 

Proposed Budgets

The Senate has passed our version of all three major budgets (operating, capital, and transportation). Below are some of the state-wide and local highlights in the Senate budgets. The House also passed their budgets, and the next step is for the two chambers to negotiate a final legislative budget that we can pass before Sine Die adjournment on April 23rd.

Operating Budget: The operating budget funds programs and services like child care, health care, higher education, K-12 schools and the operations of most state agencies. You can find a summary and more information, here.

  • Major new investments in K-12 special education services
  • Funding of emergency shelters, housing intervention, and placement services
  • $563 million to support access to affordable high quality child care programs
  • Investments to expand and bolster mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment services
  • Funding for additional law enforcement training classes and regional training academies
  • Increased funding for the state’s auto theft authority account
  • Emergency funding for hunger relief efforts
  • Numerous projects that mitigate the impact of climate change
  • $2 million for the Spokane River regional toxics task force to protect and clean up the Spokane River

 

Capital Budget: The capital budget builds things, like higher education and K-12 buildings, funds clean-ups of toxic sites, and funds local community projects. You can check out other proposed highlights, here.

  • Over $625 million statewide for affordable housing projects
  • Major statewide investments in salmon recovery
  • More than $800 million invested statewide for clean water infrastructure and programs
  • $7 million for the WSU Spokane Team Health Education Building
  • Continuing capital improvements for the Carl Maxey Center
  • $515,000 to Ashley House for children, teens, and young adults who are coping with the challenges of a catastrophic injury, serious illness, or a congenital birth defect
  • $1 million for Volunteers of America Crosswalk Youth Shelter
  • $500,000 for the American Indian Community Center

 

Transportation budget: The transportation budget funds capital and operating projects related to roads, bike & pedestrian facilities, and transit. You can find more on the transportation budget, here.

  • Continued funding for construction of the North Spokane Corridor
  • Over $700 million for statewide road maintenance and preservation
  • $106 million for statewide bike and pedestrian infrastructure and safety projects
  • Continued funding for the Division Street Bus Rapid Transit project
  • $1.7 million for Spokane International Airport Transload Center Rail Extension
  • $5.8 million for Millwood Trail Pedestrian & Bike Project

 

Stay in Touch

I always welcome feedback. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov.

Onward!

Andy