SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6248

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Amended by House, March 11, 2020

Title: An act relating to capital budget.

Brief Description: Concerning the capital budget.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Frockt and Honeyford; by request of Office of Financial Management).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/14/20, 2/20/20, 2/21/20 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed Senate: 2/26/20, 49-0.Passed House: 3/11/20, 97-0.

Brief Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill

  • Authorizes $283 million in capital projects for the 2020 supplemental capital budget for the 2019-21 fiscal biennium; of this total $65 million is financed with state general obligation bonds.

  • Includes $131 million in authorizations for agencies and higher education institutions to enter into alternative financing contracts.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6248 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Rolfes, Chair; Frockt, Vice Chair, Operating, Capital Lead; Mullet, Capital Budget Cabinet; Brown, Assistant Ranking Member, Operating; Honeyford, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Becker, Billig, Carlyle, Darneille, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Liias, Muzzall, Pedersen, Rivers, Schoesler, Van De Wege, Wagoner, Warnick and Wilson, L..

Staff: Richard Ramsey (786-7412)

Background: The programs and agencies of state government are funded on a two-year basis. The capital budget generally includes appropriations for acquiring, constructing, and repairing capital assets such as land, buildings, and other infrastructure improvements. Funding for the capital budget is primarily from state general obligation bonds, with other funding derived from various dedicated taxes, fees, and state trust land revenues. The primary two-year budget is passed in odd-numbered years, and a supplemental budget making adjustments to the two-year budget often is passed during even-numbered years. The current capital budget covers the period from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021.

Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill: The 2019-21 biennial capital budget made appropriations of $4.9 billion, of which $3.183 billion was financed from state general obligation bonds.  The biennial budget authorized $204 million for agencies and higher education institutions to enter into alternative financing contracts.

The 2020 supplemental capital budget authorizes $283 million in capital projects; of this total $65 million is financed with state general obligation bonds.  The 2020 supplemental capital budget includes $131 million in authorizations for agencies and higher education institutions to enter into alternative financing contracts.

Appropriation: Various.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

EFFECT OF HOUSE AMENDMENT(S): Appropriates $89.5 million in general obligation bonds. In addition, authorizes $75.6 million from dedicated accounts and $13 million in alternatively financed projects for a total of $175.1 million. The underlying bill appropriated a total of $283.3 million. Detailed information on the striking amendment and differences with the underlying ESSB 6248 can be found at http://fiscal.wa.gov/BudgetCBills.aspx.