Background:

The operating expenses of state government and its agencies and programs are funded on a biennial basis by an omnibus operating budget adopted by the Legislature in odd-numbered years.  State operating expenses are paid from the state general fund and from various dedicated funds and accounts.

Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill:

Biennial appropriations for the 2023-25 fiscal biennium for the various agencies and programs of the state are enacted, including appropriations for general government agencies, human services programs, natural resources agencies, and educational institutions. Budget summary materials can be found in the SCS tab in the committee materials for the public hearing.

Supplemental operating appropriations are made for the 2021-23 fiscal biennium.

 

Various revisions are made to appropriations. Summary materials can be found at: https://fiscal.wa.gov/statebudgets/2023proposals/so2325bien.

Appropriation: The bill contains appropriations from various accounts.

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.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill (January 10, 2023):

Please refer to the January 10, 2023 recording of the public hearing on the Senate Ways & Means Committee Schedules, Agendas & Documents website at https://app.leg.wa.gov/committeeschedules/ #//WM/////year.

Persons Testifying (January 10, 2023): K-12 Public Schools.  PRO:  Jake Garcia, Northwest Harvest; Lynda Hall, Treehouse; Preston Dwoskin.
 
OTHER:  Melissa  Gombosky, Spokane, Evergreen, Vancouver, Central Valley, RIchland and ESD 105 - school districts; Michelle Price, North Central Educational Service District 171; John  Parker, Central Valley School District; Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Marissa Rathbone, Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA); Jon Holmen, Lake Washington School District; Lizzy Sebring, Washington State PTA; Jim Kowalkowski, Rural Education Center; Jenny Plaja, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI); Rick Chisa, Public School Employees of Washington (PSE); Sue Ann Bube, Mercer Island School District; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Mitch Denning, WA Assn of Maintenance and Operation Administrators; Liz Trautman, Stand for Children Washington; Charlie Brown, Pierce County Schools Superintendents.
 
Higher Education.  PRO:  Joe Dacca, University of Washington; Paul Francis, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Heather Moss, Bates Technical College Trustee; Julie White, Pierce College; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; Jacob Vigdor, University of Washington Faculty; Sandy Kaiser, The Evergreen State College; Chris Mulick, Washington State University; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Michael Moran, Self; Sopeara Chay, South Puget Sound Community College.
 
OTHER:  Ben Small, Launch NW; Karen Strickland, AFT Washington.
 
Early Learning.  PRO:  Erica Hallock, Start Early WA; Melissa Johnson, WA State Association of Head Start & ECEAP; Daisy Cruz; Colleen Condon, Washington Childcare Center Association; Emily Murphy, Child Care Aware of Washington; John Dickson, Spokane County United Way.
 
OTHER:  Mustapha Kebbeh, Kindering.
 
Employee Compensation.  PRO:  Seamus Petrie, Washington Public Employees Association; Alan Burke, WSSRA; Brandon Anderson, Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
 
Mental Health.  PRO:  Clifford Thurston, Worldbridgers; Joe Dacca, UW Medicine; Joan Miller, WA Council for Behavioral Health.
 
OTHER:  Brent Freeman, Wahkiakum School District; Sol Villarreal; Jim Hedrick, Daybreak Youth Services.
 
Human Services.  PRO:  Bob Cooper, WA Association of Drug Courts; Erica Hallock, Family Impact Network; Jeff Gombosky, Washington Health Care Association; Scott Sigmon, LeadingAge Washington; Michael Mirra, Co-Chair of Housing & Child Welfare Committee of the Administrative Office of the Court; Alicia Kingston, Northwest Justice Project; Jane Pak, Snohomish County Legal Services; Jason Bragg; Lisa Wolters, Association of WA Housing Authorities & Seattle Housing Authority; Nicole Mazen, Amara; Brad Banks, Home Care Coalition; Samuel Martin, WACHYA; Julie Patiño, A Way Home Washington; Jeff DeLuca, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Cherish Cronmiller; Marwan Cameron, Gather Together Grow Together; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; Patricia Hunter, WA State Long Term Care Ombuds Program; Angela Kraemer, angelasfamilyservices.com; Brad Forbes, Alzheimer's Association.
 
CON:  Courtney Williams, Community Employment Alliance; Sean Swope, Lewis County.
 
OTHER:  Diana  Stadden, The Arc of WA State; Jill May, Washington Association for Children & Families; Jeff Clare, Washington Association for Children & Families; Whitney Carlson, Washington Association for Children & Families; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Shrounda Selivanoff, Children's Home Society of Washington; Lynsey Gagnon, Volunteers of America; Marcia Wright-Soika, Family Works; Heather Cantamessa, Children's Home Society of Washington; Lisa Johnson, Parent 4 Parent; Laurie Lippold; Jim Theofelis, Northstar Advocates; Melissa Johnson, Community Residential Services Association; Leanne LaBissoniere, Catholic Charities Serving Central Washington, Kinship Program; Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline; John Stovall, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Aaron Yared, Building Changes; Shawn Latham, Allies in Advocacy; Rob Huff; Gian Mitchell; Rachael Myers, WA Low Income Housing Alliance; Laura Ellsworth, Council for the Homeless; Peter Shapiro; Eric Jensen, Astria Toppenish Hospital; Sheila Babb Anderson, Campion Advocacy Fund; Amanda DeShazo, Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium; Michelle McDaniel, Washington 211; Tim Sullivan, Washington 211; Diana Sullivan, The Foundation for Homeless and Poverty Management.
 
Natural Resources.  PRO:  Alex Conley; Mike Lithgow; Amy Hatch-Winecka; Kaylee Galloway, Regional Fisheries Coalition; Lucas Hall, Long Live the Kings; Isaac Kastama, Clean & Prosperous Washington; Tom Salzer, Washington Association of Conservation Districts.
 
OTHER:  Martha Wyckoff; Deborah Essman; Sean Eagan, The Northwest Seaport Alliance; Samantha Bruegger, WA Wildlife First.
 
All Other.  PRO:  Jim Bamberger, Office of Civil Legal Aid; Brad Forbes, Alzheimer's Association; Erin Shea McCann, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC); Josephine Tamayo Murray, Communities of Concern Commission; Anna Nepomuceno, NAMI WA; Melissa Johnson, District & Municipal Court Judges Association; Ken Roske, City of Pasco Police Department; Mary Ellen Stone, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; Guillermo Rogel, Front and Centered; Christopher Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts; Brittany Gregory, Administrative Office of the Courts; Sophia Byrd McSherry, Washington State Office of Public Defense; Mark Johnson, Washington Retail Association; Mike Battis, Washington Ambulance Association; Pat McCarthy, Office of the Washington State Auditor; Scott  Nelson, Office of the Washington State Auditor; Dr. Scott Phillips, Washington Poison Center; Gina Wassemiller, FIRST Legal Clinic; Jennifer Justice, FIRST Legal Clinic; Jo Bechtold, The Mockingbird Society; Clair Olivers, Retired Public Employees Council of WA; Sarah Beth Huot, Huot Law PLLC; Alexandra Deas, Equal Justice Coalition; César Torres, Northwest Justice Project; Greg Link, WDA/WACDL; Jason Schwarz, WDA/WACDL; Anthony Powers, WDA/WACDL; Lara Zarawosky, WDA/WACDL.
 
CON:  Debi Maloney.
 
OTHER:  Jorge Baron, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP); Eli Goss, One America; Alexandra Olins, ACRS; Brian Hatfield, Office of Secretary of State.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (January 10, 2023): No one.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Proposed Substitute (March 24, 2023):

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. Please refer to the March 24, 2023 recording of the public hearing on the Senate Ways & Means Committee Schedules, Agendas & Documents website at https://app.leg.wa.gov/committeeschedules/ #//WM/////year.

Persons Testifying (March 24, 2023): K-12 Public Schools. PRO:  Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Chase Buffington, Washington Outdoor School Coalition; Rick Chisa, Public School Employees of Washington (PSE); Lynda Hall, Treehouse.

CON:  Wayne Barrett, CONCRETE SCHOOL DISTRICT; Brian Freeman, Curlew School District.

OTHER:  Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Kia Franklin, Stand for Children Washington; Henterson  Carlisle, Center for High School Success; Melanie Smith, Committee for Children; Sara Seelmeyer, United Way of King County; Logan Endres, Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA); Melissa  Gombosky, Spokane, Central Valley, Richland, Evergreen, and Vancouver Public Schools; Radu Smintina, OneAmerica; Roz Thompson, Association of Washington School Principals; Gregory King, Washington MESA; Holly  Koon, Mt Baker School District; Nick Perigo, Mt Baker School District; Mary Sewright, Mt Baker School District; Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Kathy  Mulkerin, Board Member, Walla Walla Public Schools; Keith Swanson, Teacher, Walla Walla Public Schools; Charlie Brown, Pierce County Superintendents, Federal Way Schools, Schools Alliance; Devin Gombosky, ESD 105 Schools Coalition; Peter Finch, West Valley School District #208 (Yakima); Samantha Fogg, Seattle Council PTSA; Nancy Chamberlain, Washington State PTA; Jessica Vavrus, Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD); Zeta Strickland, Pacific Science Center; Jason Barnwell, Pacific Science Center; Troy Nichols, Capital Region ESD 113; Jennifer Ziegler, Washington State Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs; Marnie Jackson, South Whidbey School District; Diana Stadden, The Arc of WA State; Jim Kowalkowski, Rural Education Center.

Higher Education. PRO:  David Buri; Adán Mendoza-Sandoval, VP, WA Student Association; Sandy Kaiser, The Evergreen State College; Joe Dacca, University of Washington; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; Connor Haggerty, Washington State University; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University.

CON:  Kim Retherford , Huus Construct ; Courtenay  Gebhardt, Blue Sound Construction; Paul Francis, State Board for Community & Technical Colleges; Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, State Board for Community & Technical Colleges; Bob Mohrbacher, Centralia College.

OTHER:  Karen Strickland, American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Alex Hur, NW Education Access; Hyeeun Park, BIPOC Executive Directors Coalition; Maud Daudon, Career Connect Washington; Joel Anderson, University of Washington Graduate and Professional Student Senate; Fernando Mejia-Ledesma, Communities for Our Colleges; Gabby Fitz, Communities for Our Colleges; Araceli Lopez, Communities for Our Colleges; Bill Daley, Communities for Our Colleges; Evan Woods, We Train Washington; Puneet Birk, Associated Students of the University of Washington Bothell.

Early Learning. OTHER:  Rachel Hall, Washington Communities for Children; Colleen  Condon, Washington Communities for Children; Emily Poncik, Pierce County Early Childhood Network (PCECN); Erica Hallock, Start Early WA; Jen  Sandvig, Center Director at Sagebrush Montessori; Tasha  Fitzgerald, Center Teacher at Pacific Northwest Discovery Academy; Devon Connor-Green, Early Learning Action Alliance (ELAA); Kristin Wiggins, Imagine Institute; Karin Anderson; Jaymie McLaughlin, Child Care Resources; Emily Murphy, Child Care Aware of Washington; Bee Balasa, Taking Steps Together; Mustapha Kebbeh, Kindering; Julia Anderson, Parent of child with disabilities; Christine Liebsack, Parent of child with disabilities; Brooke Fisher-Clark, Executive Director, Imagination Library of Washington; Anil Puri, Twin Cities Rotary; Ginny Duff, United Way of Kitsap County; Urvasi Graham; Diana Stadden, The Arc of WA State; Suzette Espinoza-Cruz.

Employee Compensation. PRO:  Caroline Cress, Association of Washington Assistant Attorneys General (AWAAG), WFSE Local 5297.

OTHER:  Alan Burke, WSSRA; Brandon Anderson, WA Federation of State Employees (WFSE); Seamus Petrie, Washington Public Employees Association.

Mental Health. PRO:  Michael White, King County; Anna Nepomuceno, NAMI Washington; Brad Banks, Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organizations; Joan Miller, WA Council for Behavioral Health; Lauren Fay, DESC.

CON:  mary ellen stone, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; JoDee Garretson, Support Advocacy and Resource Center.

OTHER:  Bob Cooper, WA Asocition of Drug Courts; Christina Mason, WA Assocition of Drug Court; Ian Goodhew, UW Medicine; Jim Hedrick, Daybreak Youth Services.

Human Services. PRO:  Sam Martin, Washington Coalition on Homeless Youth Advocacy; Julie Patino, A Way Home Washington; Jo Bechtold, The Mockingbird Society; Carlos Caguiat, The Washington Continuing Care Residents' Association; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; Brad Forbes, Alzheimer's Association; Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline; Greg Steen, HEN Intake Specialist, Catholic Community Services; Lonnie Isaac, HEN Case Manager, Catholic Community Services; Kiauna Anderson, HEN Program Manager, Catholic Community Services; Trisha Matthieu, HEN Director, Catholic Community Services; Susan Foster-Dow, Catholic Charities Eastern Washington; Ryan Davis, Washington Asset Building Coalition; Susan Chriest, Housing & Essential Needs, Snohomish County; Brad Banks, Home Care Coalition; Paul Dillon, Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho; Glenda Faatoafe, Long term care provider; Lacey Jane Wolfe, City of Bellevue; john alder, housing alliance; Ivanova  Smith, Self Advocates in Leadership; MIKE CANFIELD, www.fpaws.org.

CON:  Ren Autrey, Outsiders Inn; Crystal drake; Carlyn Sampson, Rebuilding Hope.

OTHER:  Jarel Sanders, Partners for Our Children; Jim Theofelis, NorthStar Advocates; Stephanie Neil, SDMC; Jill May, Washington Association for Children and Families; Jeff Clare, Washington Association for Children and Families; Laura Saunders, Washington Association of Continuing Care Residents - WACCRA; Diana Stadden, The Arc of WA State; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Cathy Murahashi, Community Homes; Jessica Renner, Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL); Carma Matti-Jackson, Washington Health Care Association; Alyssa Odegaard, LeadingAge; Nadine DeKlerk, Regency Pacific; Robert Washbond, Stafford at Belmont; Jacqueline Kinley, Unified Residential Care and Main Residential Care; Stacy Dym, The Arc of Washington State; Emily Stone, WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Patricia  Hunter, WA State Long Term Care Ombuds; Shawn Latham, Allies in Advocacy; Courtney Williams, Community Employment Alliance; Aaron Yared, Building Changes; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Elsia  Anderson, First Step Family Support; Nathan Koch, Children's Home Society of Washington ; Heather Cantamessa, Children's Home Society of Washington; Lisa Johnson, Parent 4 Parent; Jessica  Cinollo, XChange; Christina Wong, Northwest Harvest; Sean Graham, Washington State Medical Association; Cathy Knight, WA Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Kate White Tudor, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, WA Association for Community Health; Joseph Lachman, Asian Counseling and Referral Service; Fernanda Mazcot, Hispanic Business/Professional Association; Peter Shapiro; Laura Dow, Kinship Navigator Program; Sara  Robbins, Seattle / King County Coalition on Homelessness; Kathleen Knutson, CCS; Kathe Williams, Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors; John Ficker, Adult Family Home Council; Amina Abdalla, Adult Family Home Council; Bob  Le Roy, Long Term Care Foundation; Claudia Coppola, Olympic Neighbors; Alex Hur, Statewide Poverty Action Network; Melissa Johnson, Community Residential Services Association; Britney Beaty, Magnolia Care Enhanced Living; Paula Sardinas, WBBA (WA Build Back Black Alliance); Marcos Martinez, TeamChild; Michael Byun, Asian Counseling Referral Service; Matthew Oakes, Outsiders Inn; Courtney Smith, WA Association for Community Health; Rosa Rodriguez, Firelands; Maria Leticia; Sandy Onofre; Valentin Torres; Maricela Garcia; Darcy Hoffman, Workforce Southwest Washington; Narek Daniyelyan, WSUV Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships; Jacquelin Earley, Sierra Pacific Industries; Rob Huff, Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness; Mercedes Sanchez, Cedar River Clinics; Noah Seidel, Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds; Louisa Severn, Midwives Assn of WA State; Sherrie Tinoco, Emergency Support Shelter; Kris Camenzind, Hope Alliance; Karin White, YWCA Pierce County; Laurie Schacht, YWCA Clark County; Cara Legg; Suzi Fode, New Hope; Ann Vining, Northwest Health Law Advocates; Chelsea Hager, Youth Villages; Steven Curry, Multi-Services Center Food Bank; Stephanie Widhalm, Partners with Families and Children - Children's Advocacy Center; Courtney Normand, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates; Jessica Hostetler, Northwest Kidney Centers; Rosa Garcia; Basilia Aquiroz; Cristal Barragan, Interpreter; Fanny Cordero, Interpreter; Maya Morales; Jeff  DeLuca, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Cherish Cronmiller, Olympic Community Action Programs; Rena Shawver, Okanogan County Community Action Council; Elizabeth Jennings, Community Action of Skagit County; Janice DeGuchi, Neighborhood House; Anthony Ives, Kitsap Community Resources; Sol Villarreal; Annalise Martucci, Office of Civil Legal AId; Riddhi Mukhopadhyay, Sexual Violence Law Center; Madelyn Carlson, People For People; Daryl Daugs, Board Member, United Way of Kitsap County; Deb Miller, Executive Director, Action Health Partner.

Natural Resources. PRO:  Samantha Bruegger, Washington Wildlife First; Rudy Salakory, Friends of the Columbia Gorge; Isaac Kastama, Clean & Prosperous Washington; Paula  Swedeen, Conservation Northwest; Jay  Gordon, Washington State Dairy Federation; Rachel Aronson, Maritime Blue.

CON:  Nora  Burnes, WA Farm Forestry Association; Lawrence  Marshall, Murphy Company; Edward Martin, Western Forest Products US; Garret Stump, WKO Inc; Heath Heikkila, American Forest Resource Council.

OTHER:  Christine Mahler, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition; Chris Liu, No Child Left Inside Coalition; Marie  Sullivan, Quinault Indian Nation; Rod Fleck, City of Forks; Paul Jewell, Washington State Association of Counties; Betsy Robblee, The Mountaineers; Trevor Justin, Recreational Boating Assoc. of Washington; Dave Arbaugh, Sierra Pacific Industries; Kurt Hellmann, Conservation Northwest; Larry Leach; Nicky Pasi, Mountains to Sound Greenway; Mitch Long, Kittitas Conservation Trust; Darcy Batura, The Nature Conservancy; Vanessa Kritzer, Washington Association of Land Trusts.

All Other. PRO:  Tonia McClanahan; Shelly Willis, Executive Director; Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; Alexandra Deas, Equal Justice Coalition; Cesar Torres, Northwest Justice Project; Josephine Tamayo Murray, Communities of Concern Commission; Drayton Jackson, Foundation for Homeless & Poverty Management/Communities of Concern Commission; Harald Hyllseth, Chief Seattle Club/Communities of Concern Commission; Dawn Marie Rubio, Administrative Office of the Courts; Christopher  Stanley , Administrative Office of the Courts; Larry Jefferson, Washington State Office of Public Defense; Luis Moscoso, Washington State Office of Public Defense's Advisory Committee; Guillermo Rogel, Front and Centered; Juliana Roe, Washington State Association of Counties; Bonnie  Stern Wasser, OneAmerica; Justin Clary, Washington State Public Works Board; Gregory Link; Shaun Scott, Statewide Poverty Action Network; Andy Johnston, Johnston Engineering.

CON:  john Worthington; Anna Johnson; Karlie Fischer; Suzanne Dale Estey, Washington Economic Development Association; KARL DYE, TRIDEC.

OTHER:  Jim Bamberger, Office of Civil Legal Aid; Jorge Baron, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; Manuel R. Cawaling, Inspire Washington; Mark Johnson, Washington Retail Association; Hollianne Monson, Catholic Community Services- Volunteer Services; Diane (Rusty) Figley, Catholic Community Services- Volunteer Services; Bob Keever; Lynn Urvina, WA State Kinship Oversight Committee; Mike Pellicciotti, Washington State Treasurer; Carolyn Brotherton, Economic Opportunity Institute; Katrina Johnson; Amanda Kim, Balance Our Tax Code; Marian Dacca, Washington Public Ports Assn.; Carissa Hahn, CWA/WashTech; Hyeeun Park, BIPOC Executive Directors Coalition; Leah Missik, Climate Solutions; Jazmine Smith, The Washington Bus; Sean Eagan, The Northwest Seaport Alliance; Mara Machulsky, Willapa Bay Gillnet Association; Brandon Mack, Judge for Jefferson County Superior Court; Michael Mirra, Family Treatment Court Advisory Board; Devin Gombosky, Tesla Motors; Geoff Potter, Office of Governor Jay Inslee; Adam Browning, Forum Mobility; Paula Sardinas, WBBA; Dan West, Rivian Automotive, LLC; Nikki Malcom, Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance; Rowland Thompson, Allied Daily Newspapers and Washington Newspaper Publishers Association; Stacia Rasmussen, Greater Spokane Inc. and Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster; Jasmine Vasavada, Dept of Commerce.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (March 24, 2023): No one.