SENATE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5949
As Amended by House, March 6, 2024
Title: An act relating to the capital budget.
Brief Description: Concerning the capital budget.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Mullet and Schoesler; by request of Office of Financial Management).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/11/24, 2/15/24, 2/19/24 [DPS].
Floor Activity: Passed Senate: 2/22/24, 49-0.
Passed House: 3/6/24, 96-0.
Brief Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill
  • Makes supplemental capital budget appropriations for the 2023-2025 biennium.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5949 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Robinson, Chair; Mullet, Vice Chair, Capital; Nguyen, Vice Chair, Operating; Wilson, L., Ranking Member, Operating; Gildon, Assistant Ranking Member, Operating; Schoesler, Ranking Member, Capital; Rivers, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Warnick, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Billig, Boehnke, Braun, Conway, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Muzzall, Pedersen, Randall, Saldaña, Torres, Van De Wege, Wagoner and Wellman.
Staff: Shani Bauer (786-7468)
Background:

The capital expenses of state government, and its agencies and programs, are funded on a biennial basis by an omnibus capital budget adopted by the Legislature in odd numbered years. State capital expenses are paid from state general obligation bonds and from various dedicated funds and accounts.  The primary two-year budget is passed in odd-numbered years, and a supplemental budget making adjustments to the two-year budget is passed during even-numbered years. The current capital budget covers the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025.
Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill:

The 2023-2025 biennial capital budget appropriations, including appropriations for general government agencies, human services programs, natural resources agencies, and educational institutions, are modified.

 

Budget summary materials can be found by navigating to the Senate 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Proposal at fiscal.wa.gov.
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.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill (January 11, 2024):

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. Please refer to the January 11, 2024 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 11, 2024):

K-12 Public Schools. PRO:  Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Andrew Villeneuve, Northwest Progressive Institute; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Associations; LEN  MC COMB, COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK OF WA./WA.ASSOIATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH/WA SCHOOL BASED HEALTH A ALLIANCE; Devin Denney, Highline Public Schools.

OTHER:  Melissa  Stone, Washington State PTA; Nancy Chamberlain, Washington State PTA; Alexa Allman, Deer Park School District.

Higher Education. PRO:  Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; Morgan Hickel, University of Washington; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; Darrell Jennings, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; James Lemerond, Bellingham Technical College; Matt Seimears, Lower Columbia Community College.

OTHER:  David Buri, Eastern Washington University.

Human Services. OTHER:  Ryan Donohue, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Shawn Latham, Self Advocates In Leadership; Michone Preston, Habitat for Humanity of Washington State; Josh Townsley, Habitat for Humanity; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Connie Grindol, Independent Nurses.

Natural Resources. PRO:  Vanessa Kritzer, Washington Association of Land Trusts; Brian Shay, City of Hoquiam; Jessica Helsley, Wild Salmon Center; Mara Zimmerman, Coast Salmon Partnership; Tom Kollasch, Pacific Conservation District; Natalie Schmidt, Tacoma Water; Alona Steinke.

CON:  David E Ortman, ALPS; FWOC; FOBL; LCBAS; MidFORC; NCCC; SLK; WW, WUM; Chris Maykut, Friends of Bumping Lake; Jamie Mattson; Carla Williams.

All Other. PRO:  Mary Connolly, South Sound Housing Affordability Partners; Brittany Gregory, Administrative Office of the Courts; Michael White, King County; Wesley Jessup, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (EWSHS- Eastern Washington State Historical Society); James Lovell, Chief Seattle Club; Kenny Pittman, Communities of Concern Commission;  Faaluaina Pritchard, Communities of Concern Commission; Axel Swanson, Washington State Association of County Engineers.

OTHER:  Kathryn Gardow, Chair, Public Works Board; Tsega Desta, Ethiopian Community in Seattle; Brandy DeLange, Association of Washington Cities.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (January 11, 2024): No one.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on First Substitute (February 15, 2024):

Please refer to the February 15, 2024 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 (February 15, 2024):

K-12 Public Schools:  PRO:  Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Mike Hoover, Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA); Jim Kowalkowski, Rural Education Center; Brent Freeman, Wahkiakum School District; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Associations; Jared Mason-Gere, Washington Education Association; Samantha Fogg, SCPTSA, Interim Co-President; Charlie Brown, Skills Centers Directors and South Sound Superintendents.

Higher Education:  PRO:  Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; Darrell Jennings, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Joe Dacca, University of Washington; Connor Haggerty, Washington State University; Christine Cote, Perry Tech Institute.

Housing, Behavioral Health, and Human Services:  PRO:  Michone Preston, Habitat for Humanity of Washington State; Gina James, Tribal Council, Quinault Indian Nation; Ryan Donohue, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties; Gloria Rodriguez, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services; Erik Hanson, Jazz Night School, LEMS Bookstore, & SEED - Southeast Effective Development; Jamyang Dorjee Nhangkar, Tibetan Association of Washington for Seattle Tibetan Community Center project; Cathy Murahashi, The Arc of Washington; Elizabeth Murphy, Plymouth Housing; Michael Moran, 1. Chehalis Tribe  2. Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation 3. Making A Difference Foundat; Jenece Howe, Yakama Nation Village of Hope; Dawn Vyvyan, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; Mary Connolly, South Sound Housing Affordability Partners; Kunchok  Gonpo, Yes, president of the Tibetan Association of Washington; Victoria OBanion, Northwest Cooperative Development Center; Michael White, King County; Kiara Daniels, Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition.

OTHER:  Kristin Wiggins, ReadyNation, Imagine Institute; Melissa Johnson, Community Residential Services Association; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Councilman Christopher Wallahee, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County.

Natural Resources:  PRO:  Gina  James, Tribal Council, Quinault Indian Nation; Skippy Shaw, The Nature Conservancy; Larry Phillips, American Sportfishing Association; Mara  Zimmerman, Coast Salmon Partnership; Jessica Helsley, Wild Salmon Center; Paula Sardinas, WBBA (WA Build Back Black Alliance); Vanessa Kritzer, Washington Association of Land Trusts; Phil  Rigdon, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; Heath Heikkila, American Forest Resource Council; warren neth, Cosmic Carrot Farm.

OTHER:  Carl Burke, Northwest Marine Trade Association; Rhys Roth, Center for Sustainable Infrastructure; Randy Hayden, Port of Pasco.

All Other:  PRO:  Tsega Desta, Ethiopian Community in Seattle; Kenny Pittman, Communities of Concern Commission; Sharon Khosla, Garfield Super Block Coalition; Robert  Stephens Jr , On behalf Garfield Super Block ; Kathryn Gardow, Chair, Public Works Board; Seth Muir, Sail Sand Point; Ione Jones, Giving Voice; Ali Lee; John Seng, Spark Northwest; Amanda Barta, Moses Lake Community Health Center; Joe Vessey, Community Health Center of Snohomish County; SuYoung Yun, ACRS and APIC Washington; Afua Kouyate, African Cultural Arts Center; Oveta Hunter, A.C.A.C African Cultural Arts Center; Dawn Vyvyan, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe; Chairman Nino Maltos, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe; Dave Arbaugh, Energy Northwest; Mike Gonzalez, Franklin County; Brandy DeLange, Association of Washington Cities; Elizabeth Tail, Seattle Indian Services Commission; Axel Swanson, Washington State Association of County Engineers; Akemi Boyd, Chief Seattle Club; Courtney Whitaker, YMCA of Greater Seattle.

CON:  John Worthington.

OTHER:  Barbara Boyle, State Legislative Chair for the Washington State Chapter Sierra Club; Cathryn Chudy; Sherry Williams, HealthPoint CHC; Suellen Mele; Joren Clowers, White Salmon Valley Pool; Lily von Mosch, White Salmon Valley Pool.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (February 15, 2024): No one.
EFFECT OF HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

The striking amendment authorizes new capital appropriations of $1.3 billion in total funds, of which $130.6 million is financed with state general obligation bonds. Detailed information on the striking amendment and differences with the underlying ESSB 5949 can be found at https://fiscal.wa.gov/statebudgets/capitalbudgetmain.