This week is the next to last week of session – and today is a final cutoff date. All bills that aren’t considered “necessary to implement the budget” need to receive a vote from the full chamber by 5pm today. After today, legislators will turn their attention to finalizing the supplemental budget and passing bills considered necessary to implement that budget. In addition, there are three initiatives that the legislature will consider.
The last day of session is known as “sine die” (latin for “without day” meaning they adjourn without a specific day to return), and will be March 7.
Bill Updates
This was a whirlwind week with Monday’s fiscal cutoff and today’s floor cutoff. Here’s a roundup of the bills we’ve been tracking and sharing with you this session:
- SB 5904 (aligning and extending state financial aid timelines) – Passed the House 61-35
- HB 2214 (auto-qualifying students receiving food stamps for the Washington College Grant) – Passed the Senate 28-20
- HB 2217 (to ensure more juvenile offenses are prosecuted in juvenile court) passed the Senate 29-20
- HB 2025 (to expand state work study for college access programs) is scheduled for a Senate floor vote today.
- HB 2065 (juvenile points retroactivity) did not advance out of Senate Ways & Means on Monday and is dead for this session.
Ballot Initiatives
Six ballot initiatives were sent to the legislature this session. The legislature has decided to consider three of them and to send three to the ballot for voters to decide. They held hearings and committee votes this week on the three initiatives under consideration and will bring them to the floor for debate and vote next week. The three initiatives are: I-2081, concerning parental rights, I-2111, concerning personal income taxes, and I-2113, concerning vehicular pursuits.
Budget update
Each chamber has passed their operating budget proposal and will now go into “conference” to reconcile the differences between the two proposals. Ninth Grade Success Initiative is funded in the Senate proposal, but not the House, and we are urging budget negotiators to retain the Senate number in the final budget. We expect the final proposal to be released Wednesday March 6th.
We want to hear from you! What questions, reactions, reflections, celebrations, and concerns do you have about the legislative session? Share your thoughts by Wednesday March 6th; we’ll publish a round up in our final roll-call edition next week!
Thank you for your continued advocacy!
Sincerely,
Liz Trautman
Government Affairs Director
