Brief Description: Making appropriations and authorizing expenditures for capital improvements.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Fraser and Hewitt; by request of Governor Gregoire).

Hearing Date: 4/13/05

Staff: Susan Howson (786-7142).

Background:

The programs and agencies of state government are funded on a two-year basis, with each biennium beginning on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. The Capital Budget includes appropriations for the acquisition, construction and repair of capital assets such as state office buildings, prisons, juvenile rehabilitation centers, residential habilitation centers, mental health facilities, public health facilities, military readiness centers, and higher education facilities. The Capital Budget funds a variety of environmental and natural resource projects, parks and recreational facilities, grants for public K-12 school construction, and has a number of grant and loan programs that support housing, public infrastructure, community service facilities, and art and historical projects.

The sources of funding for the Capital Budget primarily are state general obligation bonds, trust revenues, and dedicated fees and taxes.

Summary of Bill:

The 2005-07 Capital Budget authorizes $3.09 billion in new capital projects, of which $1.43 billion are financed with new state general obligation bonds. Reappropriations of $1.96 billion are authorized for uncompleted projects approved in prior biennia. State agencies are also authorized to enter into a variety of alternative financing contracts.

The 2005 Supplemental Capital Budget makes technical corrections to the 2003-05 Capital Budget and authorizes $206.5 million in new appropriations, of which $17.45 million are financed with new state general obligation bonds.

Appropriation: The sum of $3.3 billion in new appropriations and $1.96 billion in reappropriations.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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