HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2459

As Amended by the Senate

Title: An act relating to fiscal matters.

Brief Description: Making supplemental operating appropriations.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Sommers, Fromhold and Sehlin; by request of Governor Locke).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Appropriations: 2/23/04, 2/24/04 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/25/04, 51-45.

Senate Amended.

Passed Senate: 3/11/04, 34-15.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Sommers, Chair; Fromhold, Vice Chair; Cody, Conway, Dunshee, Grant, Hunter, Kagi, Kenney, Kessler, Linville, McIntire, Miloscia, Ruderman and Schual-Berke.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Sehlin, Ranking Minority Member; Pearson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Alexander, Anderson, Boldt, Buck, Chandler, Clements, Cox, McDonald, Sump and Talcott.

Staff: Victor Moore (786-7143).

Background:

The state government operates on the basis of a fiscal biennium that begins on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. A biennial operating budget was enacted in the 2003 legislative session, appropriating $23.1 billion from the state general fund.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill:

Appropriations are modified for the 2003-05 fiscal biennium. Prior to the supplemental budget, the total appropriation was $38.6 billion, of which $23.1 billion was from the state general fund.

The 2004 Supplemental Operating Budget increases general fund spending by $224 million, a 1 percent increase from the original budget. Total appropriations are increased by $705 million.

Including the changes made by the supplemental budget, total appropriations for the 2003-05 fiscal biennium are $39.3 billion, of which $23.3 billion is from the state general fund.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):

General fund spending for the 2003-05 Biennium increases by $145 million rather than $224 million. Total appropriations for the 2003-05 Biennium increase by $634 million rather than by $705 million.

All figures include funding for the implementation of the home care worker contract. As this bill passed the House, appropriations for the contract were included as part of this bill. As this bill passed the Senate, those appropriations are assumed to be made in separate legislation (House Bill 1777, home care worker contract).

Appropriation: Please refer to the bill.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Persons Testifying (In support) Gary Alexander, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Terry Teale, Council of Presidents; Len McComb, Washington State Hospital and the Community Health Plan of Washington; Earl Hale, SBCTC; Seth Dawson, NAMI of Washington; Jim Sulton, HECB; Judy McNichle, WWU; Randy Hodgins, UW; Larry Ganders, WSU; Ann Anderson, CWU; Tom Parker, Private colleges; Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Jim Huckabay, CWU and the Council of Faculty Representatives; Gail Stygall, UW and the Council of Faculty Representatives; Wendy Rader-Konfalski, Washington Federation of Teachers; Ivy Sager-Rosenthal, Washington Public Interest Group; Charlie Brown, Washington Asparagus Council; Suzi Tracey, Washington State Medical Association; and Ruth Windhover, WEA.

(In support with concerns) Randy Dorn, PSE; Randy Parr, WEA; Dawn Vyvyan, Mailing and Fulfillment Services Association; Ray Schow, ANP Printing; Lynn Maier, WPEA; and Robby Stern, WSLC.

(Concerns) Donna Patrick, DD Council, Arc of WA and REW; Kathleen Collins, Washington Water Policy Alliance; Melissa Johnson, Addus Health Care; Ellie Menzies, SEIU; Lonnie Johns-Brown, Collaborative; Brendan Williams, Washington Health Care Association; and Terry Kohl, Washington State Residential Care Association.

(Comments) Dan Fazio, Washington Farm Bureau.

(Other) Cynthia Shurtleff, American Academy of Pediatrics; Cherie Tessier; Dave Steiner, Community Residential Services Association; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; Kevin Glackin-Coley, Childrens Alliance; Laurie St Ours, Norwest Assisted Living Facilities Association; Nick Federici, Lung Association; Jackie Derr, UW Medicine, Harborview; Claire Hesselholt, Office of Regulatory Assistance; Bruce Wishart, People for Puget Sound; Dorothy Gibson, Childcare Workforce, Alliance of WA, WFT; Remy Trupin, Jewish Federation; Deb Murphy, Washington Association of Housing Services for the Aging; Tony Lee, Asian Pacific Islands Coalition; Jean Wessman, Washington State Association of Counties; Larry Keller, Kitsap Mental Health Services; and TK Bentler, Washington Association of Neighborhood Stores.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.