The Washington state Legislature kicked off its 2019 session Monday with House and Senate budget committees holding hearings on Governor Jay Inslee's proposed operating and capital budgets. Representatives from community and technical colleges were on the hill testifying on the proposals and advocating on behalf of the nearly 370,000 students the colleges serve. >>
The Legislature adjourned Sine Die Thursday, the 60th day of a 60-day session. They passed the operating budget — 54-44 in the House and 25-24 in the Senate — which they released Wednesday evening. The Legislature also finalized a capital budget — 96-2 in the House and 49-0 in the Senate. >>
With less than six days to go in the 60-day legislative session, Senators and Representatives are voting bills out of their chambers, reconciling any differences between bills, and working to resolve difference between operating and capital budget proposals. >>
Committees were busy this week hearing policy bills before today's cutoff. Bills on expanding apprenticeships, behavioral health and suicide prevention, offering an alternative test to the GED® were all on committee schedules this week. >>
The Legislature passed a capital budget for the 2018-20 biennium Thursday night, providing funding for building projects, minor repairs, and maintenance and operations throughout the college system. The $4.2 billion budget is expected to be signed by Gov. Inslee as soon as today. Also this week, committees continued taking testimony on bills affecting community and technical colleges. The House Appropriations Committee took up the system-requested bill that would add Washington residents between the ages of 25 to 44 who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent in the Caseload Forecast Council's forecasting. The council would also forecast the number of students expected to enroll in college basic education for adults courses. Committees also took up bills allowing colleges to use local funds for salaries, supporting students in apprenticeship programs, students experiencing homelessness, dual credit, and mental health. >>
The Legislature kicked off the 2018 session Monday with a changed political landscape. Voters in the 45th Legislative District elected Manka Dhingra giving Democrats a one-vote majority in the Senate. The change in the chamber's majority meant changes in agendas, leadership, committee charges and committee membership. It also means Democrats control the both houses of the Legislature and the governorship, making it more likely bills supported by the party will pass and become law. >>
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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
