House and Senate budget writers released their versions of the operating budget over the weekend, holding hearings Monday. House capital budget writers also released their version of that budget early this week, following the Senate version released last week. That proposal was heard in committee Tuesday. >>
Following Monday's fiscal committee cutoff deadline — when bills with a monetary impact needed to be approved by those committees to continue in the legislative process — this week was dominated by House and Senate floor action. Bills on opioid and fentanyl awareness, financial aid for incarcerated students and competency-based education all advanced through their home chamber and now move to the opposite chamber for consideration. >>
Committee hearings ended their second week, with representatives and senators taking up bills on supporting incarcerated veteran, creating an online credential registry and expanding Washington College Grant eligibility. >>
The Legislature on Monday kicked off its 2024 session Monday, picking up where it left off at the end of its 2023 session in April. The short 60-day convening means fast-paced work to pass supplemental operating and capital budgets and any policy bills. >>
With just over a week to go in the 2023 legislative session, the House and Senate on Wednesday reached their last major cutoff deadline, when bills coming from the opposite chamber needed to receive a vote. Community and technical college system-supported bills on dual credit, College Bound Scholarship expansion, student basic needs and data transfer were all approved. >>
The House and Senate passed a critical deadline Wednesday as bills — unless necessary for the budget — originating in their chamber had to be voted out to continue in the legislative process. Moving this week were bills on student basic needs, dual credit, data sharing, nursing and corrections 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 337,000 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
