“Sometimes we need to tell our friends hard truths.”

Earlier this week, the governor announced at a press conference that he will not sign any version of an operating budget that does not meet the following requirements:

1. Protects the “rain-day fund”
2. Is based on realistic revenue projections
3. Minimizes new investments
4. Includes savings and efficiencies
5. Does not rely on a revenue source likely to be overturned by the courts (e.g. – SB 5797)

Gov. Ferguson also said he wants the budget to include $100 million for hiring additional police officers in Sen. Jeff Holy’s Senate Bill 5060.

This is a stunning announcement. Neither of the Democrat budget proposals meets these criteria. Our budget proposal, $ave Washington, does.

We don’t know how this turn of events will affect budget negotiations, but it is likely to trigger a special session.

When asked about accusations from his critics that he has turned out to be too moderate politically, the governor said,

Our budget checks all the governor’s boxes

The $ave Washington budget we proposed earlier this session meets all five of the governor’s criteria AND it funds the $100 million in hiring grants for more law enforcement officers — without any taxes or cuts to services.

Instead of their budget negotiations landing us in special session, majority Democrats could pass our budget TODAY.

YOU MADE HISTORY!

THANK YOU to the 43,153 people who signed in “CON” on Senate Bill 5798 — the bill that would remove the 1% cap on the annual amount that state and local governments can increase your property taxes WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE. No other bill in the history of the Washington State Legislature has had as many people sign in to oppose it as SB 5798.

We’re waiting to see which taxes make it to the floor for a vote — especially in light of Gov. Ferguson’s budget announcement.

Learn more about the $21 billion Democrat tax package at taxmadness.com.

PODCAST: State leaders cautious on budget, taxes

LISTEN: Sen. John Braun shares his thoughts on some of Washington’s statewide leaders in this episode of “The Elephant in the Dome.” From the Treasurer’s warnings about the “rainy-day fund” to the Governor’s cautious stance on taxation and spending, the discussion highlights key policy debates. Plus, criticism of the Attorney General’s litigious approach and its implications for local governance and public services.

Committee Highlights April 5 – 8

SHR = Senate Hearing Room
John A. Cherberg Building
Capitol Campus

Since we have passed the cutoff for policy committees, next week’s hearings are fiscal-related items.

Saturday, April 5

Ways & Means
12:00 PM SHR 4
Public Hearing:

• E2SHB 1213 – Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.
• 2SHB 1409 – Concerning the clean fuels program.
• 2SHB 1462 – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrofluorocarbons. (59-38)
• 2SHB 1975 – Amending the climate commitment act by adjusting auction price containment mechanisms and ceiling prices, addressing the department of ecology’s authority to amend rules to facilitate linkage with other jurisdictions, and providing for market dynamic analysis.
• HB 1069 – Allowing collective bargaining over contributions for certain supplemental retirement benefits. (78-18)
• SHB 1390 – Repealing the community protection program. (55-42)
• E2SHB 1232 – Concerning private detention facilities. (56-38)

Monday, April 7

Ways & Means
1:30 PM SHR 4
Executive Session:

• EHB 1217 – Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement. (53-42)
• 2SHB 1154 – Ensuring environmental and public health protection from solid waste handling facility operations. (58-39)
• 2SHB 1409 – Concerning the clean fuels program. (54-41)
• 2SHB 1462 – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrofluorocarbons. (59-38)
• 2SHB 1497 – Improving outcomes associated with waste material management systems. (57-39)
• SHB 1670 – Increasing transparency regarding sewage-containing spills.
• E2SHB 1912 – Concerning the exemption for fuels used for agricultural purposes in the climate commitment act. DENT
• SHB 1392 – Creating the Medicaid access program. (56-39)
• E2SHB 1232 – Concerning private detention facilities. (56-38)
• 2SHB 1359 – Reviewing laws related to criminal insanity and competency to stand trial. (69-28)
• E2SHB 1131 – Concerning clemency and pardons. (53-44)
• E2SHB 1163 – Enhancing requirements relating to the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms. (58-38)
• 2SHB 1503 – Furthering digital equity and opportunity in Washington state. (61-34)
• 2SHB 1587 – Encouraging local government partner promise scholarship programs within the opportunity scholarship program. (58-38)
• SHB 1811 – Enhancing crisis response services through co-response integration and support.
• ESHB 1296 – Promoting a safe and supportive public education system. (56-37)
• ESHB 1651 – Concerning teacher residency and apprenticeship programs. (58-38)
• HB 1858 – Eliminating the exemption for assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust from the document recording fee and the covenant homeownership program assessment. (51-42)
• 2SHB 1696 – Modifying the covenant homeownership program. (57-39)
• 3SHB 1491 – Promoting transit-oriented housing development. (58-39)
• 2SHB 1183 – Concerning building code and development regulation reform. (56-39)

Tuesday, April 8

Transportation
1:30 PM SHR 1
Executive Session

• ESHB 1837 – Establishing intercity passenger rail improvement priorities. (68-29)
• SHB 1061 – Providing additional parking flexibility in residential neighborhoods. LOW
• ESHB 1423 – Authorizing the use of automated vehicle noise enforcement cameras in vehicle-racing camera enforcement zones. (57-40)
• SHB 1244 – Concerning training as an alternative to driver license suspension for the accumulation of certain traffic infractions. (58-39)

Ways & Means
1:30 PM SHR 4
Executive Session

• SHB 1177 – Concerning the child welfare housing assistance program. (62-35)
• E2SHB 1213 – Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program. (55-41)
• ESHB 1971 – Increasing access to prescription hormone therapy. (58-38)
• ESHB 1622 – Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence. (58-38)
• ESHB 1430 – Concerning advanced practice registered nurse and physician assistant reimbursement. (60-36)
• ESHB 1141 – Concerning collective bargaining for agricultural cannabis workers. (55-40)
• HB 1068 – Removing the exclusion from interest arbitration of Washington management service employees at the department of corrections. (72-25)
• 2SHB 1715 – Regarding the costs of compliance with the state energy performance standard. DYE
• ESHB 2015 – Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax. (54-42)
• 2SHB 1975 – Amending the climate commitment act by adjusting auction price containment mechanisms and ceiling prices, addressing the department of ecology’s authority to amend rules to facilitate linkage with other jurisdictions, and providing for market dynamic analysis.
• SHB 1390 – Repealing the community protection program. (55-42)
• E2SHB 1218 – Concerning persons referred for competency evaluation and restoration services. (53-44)
• EHB 1219 – Concerning the interbranch advisory committee. (58-39)