Legislators wrapped up their 2016 special session and adjourned sine die late on March 29 after agreeing to supplemental operating and capital budgets. In addition to budget work, legislators confirmed six community and technical college trustees. They also reached final agreement on 17 bills impacting higher education and students. >>
Gov. Jay Inslee at about 10 p.m. Thursday called the Legislature into a 30-day special session after failing to pass a supplemental budget during the regular 60-day session. >>
House and Senate members spent much of their week on the floor, debating and voting on bills before today’s opposite chamber cutoff deadline. Bills that originated in the opposite chamber must be voted out of the opposing chamber by 5 p.m. Fiscal committees also continued their work, hearing and voting on bills related to the budget, as writers continued negotiations on the supplemental capital and operating budgets. >>
The Legislature reached another policy cutoff date today: bills, unless necessary to implement the budget, must be voted out of their policy committee by 5 p.m. in order to continue in the legislative process. The House and Senate released their operating and capital budgets earlier this week, holding hearings on each. >>
Wednesday (Feb. 17) marked the cutoff date for bills to pass out of their chamber of origin. House committees got back to work Thursday, holding testimony on bills from the opposite chamber. On the budget front, the Office of Financial Management on Wednesday released its revenue forecast which will inform budget writers as they develop the state’s supplemental budget. >>
The Legislature was hard at work this week as the House and Senate fiscal committees heard and voted on bills before reaching Tuesday’s cutoff date. Members are now at work on the floor of their respective chambers debating and voting on bills to send to the opposite house for its consideration. >>
2016 legislative session off to a fast start with testimony heard on system request bills, budget asks and updates on the state of higher education >>
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Legislative News is published weekly during the legislative session by the staff of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to highlight issues impacting the two-year college system.
SBCTC is led by a Governor-appointed board and provides leadership, advocacy, and coordination for Washington’s system of 34 public community and technical colleges. Each year, about 381,000 students train for the workforce, prepare to transfer to a university, gain basic math and English skills, or pursue continuing education. Visit our website at SBCTC.edu or email us a SBCTCCommunications@sbctc.edu
