SENATE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5950
As Amended by House, February 24, 2024
Title: An act relating to fiscal matters.
Brief Description: Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Robinson, Nobles and Trudeau; by request of Office of Financial Management).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/09/24, 2/19/24, 2/21/24 [DPS, DNP, w/oRec].
Floor Activity: Passed Senate: 2/23/24, 45-4.
Passed House: 2/24/24, 58-37.
Brief Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill
  • Makes supplemental operating budget appropriations for the 2023-2025 biennium.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5950 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; Rivers, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Billig, Boehnke, Braun, Conway, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Muzzall, Pedersen, Randall, Saldaña, Van De Wege and Wellman.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senator Schoesler, Ranking Member, Capital.
Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.
Signed by Senators Torres and Wagoner.
Staff: Samuel Brown (786-7470)
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.  In subsequent legislative sessions, a supplemental budget is adopted, making various modifications to agency appropriations.  State operating expenses are paid from the state general fund and from various dedicated funds and accounts.
Summary of Engrossed First Substitute Bill:

The 2023-2025 biennial operating budget appropriations for the various agencies and programs of the state are modified.
Appropriation: The bill modifies 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 9, 2024):

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard.  Please refer to the January 9, 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 9, 2024):

K-12 Public Schools.  PRO:  Melissa  Gombosky, AESD; Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Andrew Villeneuve, Northwest Progressive Institute; Marissa  Rathbone, Washington State School Directors' Association.


OTHER:  Nancy Chamberlain, Washington State PTA; Jeanne Willard, Everett Public Schools; Vicki Wolvert, Union High School/Evergreen School District; Kia Franklin, Stand for Children WA; Samantha Fogg, Seattle Council PTSA Immediate Past President; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Associations; Bob Cooper, National Association of Social Workers WA Chapter; Henterson Carlisle, Center for High School Success.


Higher Education.  PRO:  Morgan Hickel, University of Washington; Joel Anderson, Washington Student Achievement Council; Stephanie Winner, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Sandy Kaiser, The Evergreen State College; David Buri, Eastern Washington University.


OTHER:  Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; Chris Mulick, Washington State University; Nora Selander, Western Washington University.


Early Learning.  PRO:  Cathy Murahashi, The Arc of Washington.


OTHER:  Melissa Johnson, Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP; Pauli Owen; Kristin Wiggins, Perigee Fund / P5RHS; Maya Hemachandra, United Way of Snohomish County; Emily Murphy, Child Care Aware of Washington; Logan Endres, BrightSpark Early Learning.


Employee Compensation.  PRO:  Clair Olivers, Retired Public Employees Council of WA.


OTHER:  Peter Diedrick, WA State School Retirees' Association.


Mental Health.  PRO:  Anna  Nepomuceno, NAMI Washington; Rashi Gupta, UW Medicine; Joan Miller, WA Council for Behavioral Health; Shannon Dorsey; Katie Kolan, Unite Us and Kooth; Cameron Long, Evergreen Treatment Services; Chloe Gale, Evergreen Treatment Services.


OTHER:  Jim Polo, WA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Heidi Suarez.


Human Services.  PRO:  Jim Theofelis, NorthStar Advocates; Brad Forbes, Alzheimer's Association; Cathy Knight, WA Association of Area Agencies on Aging (W4A); Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline.


CON:  Aaron Dickson, Community Employment Alliance; Nikki Wegner, Community Employment Alliance; Blake Duarte.


OTHER:  Zack Wester; Nikki Storms; Jill  May, Washington Association for Children and Families; Julie  Brown, YMCA Social Impact Center; Charles Smith, The Mockingbird Society; Samuel Martin, Washington Coalition on Homeless Youth Advocacy; Melissa Johnson, Community Residential Services Association; Laurie Lippold, Partners for Our Children; Alyssa Odegaard, LeadingAge Washington; Laura Dow, Kinship Navigator Program; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; Tammi Elswick, Heritage House Morton; Michelle Dube, Beehive Retirement Center; Sandy Lennon, Washington School-Based Health Alliance; Carolyn Driscoll, The Sequoia Assisted Living Community; Leslie Emerick, Home Care Association of Washington (HCAW); Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Nathan Daniel; Teri Bryant; Jeff Guyett, Community Action Council of Whitman County; Anthony Ives, Kitsap Community Resources; Galina Volchkova, Volunteers of America Western Washington; Stacy Kellogg, People for People; Nicole Gomez, Washington Federation of State Employees; Noah Seidel, Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds.


Natural Resources.  PRO:  Graham Taylor, NPCA; John Floberg, Washington State Parks Foundation.


OTHER:  Carly Michiels, Washington Public Ports Association.


All Other.  PRO:  Christopher Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts; Larry Jefferson, Director, Washington State Office of Public Defense; Melissa Johnson, District & Municipal Court Judges Association; John Seng, Spark Northwest; Sara Robbins, Office of Civil Legal Aid; Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; Steve Hobbs, Office of Secretary of State; Cindy Arends Elsberry, WA Defender Assn/WA Assn of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Daniel Poppe; Megan Larkin, Climate Solutions; Preston Parish, Washington State Budget and Policy Center.


CON:  John Worthington.


OTHER:  Michael White, King County; Mike Fancher, Washington Coalition for Open Government.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (January 9, 2024): No one.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Proposed Substitute (February 19, 2024):

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. Please refer to the February 19, 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 19, 2024):

K-12 Public Schools:  PRO:  Henterson Carlisle, Center for High School Success; Liz Trautman, Stand for Children Washington; Charlie Brown, South Sound Superintendents and WA Skills Centers; Lynette Brower, Washington State Skills Centers Association; James Everett, Meridian School District; Paula Sardinas, FMS Global Strategies/WBBA.

OTHER:  Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Melissa Gombosky, Association of Educational Service Districts; Angela Steck, President, Washington State PTA; Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Kate Vafaeezadeh, Cascade High School; Marissa Rathbone, Washington State School Directors' Association; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Rick Chisa, Public School Employees of WA/SEIU 1948; Roz Thompson, Association of Washington School Principals; Samantha Fogg, SCPTSA, Interim Co-President; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Associations.

Higher Education:  PRO:  Morgan Hickel, University of Washington; Paul  Francis, SBCTC; Dr. Ivan Harrell, President, Tacoma Community College; Sandy Kaiser, The Evergreen State College; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; Collin Bannister, The Washington Student Association.

CON:  Chris Mulick, Washington State University.

OTHER:  Maud Daudon, Career Connect Washington; Tathagata Pal, Legislative Liaison, WSU Graduate and Professional Student Association; David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; Michael Cheever, College Success Foundation; Joanna Grist, Hazardous Waste Management Program of Seattle King County; Stephen Bollens, WSU Faculty Representative to the State Legislature.

Early Learning:  OTHER:  Mica Slater, BrightSpark Early Learning Services; Melissa Johnson, Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP; Aida Rodriguez, The Imagine Institute; Hannah Pick, Child Care Provider.

Employee Comensation: CON:  Alan Burke, WSSRA.

OTHER:  Clair Olivers, Retired Public Employees Council of WA.

Mental Health:  PRO:  Ian Goodhew, UW Medicine; Suzy Diaz, Yakima Valley Partners for Education.

OTHER:  Jim Theofelis, NorthStar Advocates; Mary Kirchoff, Wonderland Child and Family Services; Trish Toole, Washington Occupational Therapy Association; Heidi Suarez, WA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Lelach Rave, WA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Katie Kolan, Kooth.

Human Services:  PRO:  Michael White, King County; Brad Forbes, Alzheimer's Association; Melanie Smith, WA State Long Term Care Ombuds Program; Michael Moran, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation 2. Chehalis Tribe 3. Making A Difference Foundation; Claire Lane, Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition; Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline; Jamie Wheeler, Northwest Harvest; Kati Durkin, Washington Federation of State Employees; Diana Stadden; Kenny Pittman, Catholic Community Services of Western WA.

OTHER:  Laurie Lippold, Partners for Our Children; Erika Bartlett, Tacoma-Pierce County Public Health; Karen Pillar, TeamChild; Melissa Johnson, Community Residential Services Association; Charles Smith, The Mockingbird Society; Samuel Martin, Washington Coalition for Homeless Youth Advocacy; Alyssa Odegaard, LeadingAge Washington; Alejandra Perdomo-Menera, Cherrywood Place Assisted Living; Aaron Dickson, Community Employment Alliance; Lance Morehouse; Blake Duarte; Tammy Bowen; John Lemus; Cathy Knight, WA Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Leslie  Emerick, Home Care Association of WA; Linzi Michel, The Cambridge Assisted Living; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; Briahna Murray, City of Tacoma; Nick Federici, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Em Stone, WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; John Ficker, Adult Family Home Council; Shawn Latham, Self Advocates In Leadership; Cathy Murahashi, The Arc of Washington; Nora Briggs, The Dollywood Foundation; Galina Volchkova, Volunteers of America; Shelly Willis, Kinship Care; Linda Garcia, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Anthony Ives, Kitsap Community Resources; Brooke Fisher-Clark, United Ways of the Pacific Northwest; Chloe Gale, Evergreen Treatment Services; Catherine Morrison, Maxim Healthcare Services; Neil Olson, Crisis Connections; Brad Banks, Home Care Coalition; Erica  Drury, MGA Homecare.

Natural Resources:  PRO:  Trish Rolfe, Center for Law and Policy; Andrea Pierantozzi, Recreational Boating Assoc of Washington.

OTHER:  Mike Ennis, Washington State Farm Bureau; Tom Salzer, WA Association of Conservation Districts; Jasmine Vasavada, Coalition for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture.

All Other:  PRO:  Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; Sophia McSherry, Deputy Director, Office of Public Defense; Christopher Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts; Mark Streuli, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades - DC 5; Christopher Ellis, Bricklayer and Allied Craftworkers Local #1; Paula Sardinas, WBBA (WA Build Back Black Alliance); Russell Brown, WA Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

CON:  Sara Robbins, Director, Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid; John Worthington; CHARLES FEICK.

OTHER:  AyeNay Abye, The Tubman Center for Health and Freedom; Jason Grillo, PACCLEAN; Edgar Franks, Familas Unidas Por La Justicia; Sasha Wasserstrom, WA Immigrant Solidarity Network; Soumyo Lahiri-Gupta, OneAmerica; connie grindol, Independent Nurses; Robbi Anderson, Independent Nurses; Gloria Triebenbach, Independent Nurses; Hanahn Korman, Washington Assn of Nurse Delegators and other ALTSA-Contracted Nurses; Jennifer Gerber, Client with independent nurses; Ali Romaine; Sean Graham, Washington State Medical Association; David Lord, Retired disability advocate; Paul Tabayoyon, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Yakima; Ali Lee; Shay Stokes, The Energy Project; Nancy Haberman, Independent Nurse; Bill Clarke, WA PUD Association.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (February 19, 2024):

All Other:  PRO:  Rachael Southern.

CON:  Shellie Reed; Beth Ensley; Jeannette Mcchesney; Carmelinda Wiley; Stephanie Porcella.

OTHER: Syrah Kettlety.
EFFECT OF HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

Authorizes additional appropriations of $210 million during the 2023-25 fiscal biennium and $549 million over the four-year outlook period.  Detailed information on the striking amendment and comparisons with the underlying ESSB 5950 can be found at https://fiscal.wa.gov/statebudgets/operatingbudgetmain.