The state government operates on a fiscal biennium that begins on July 1 of each odd-numbered year. A two-year biennial operating budget is adopted every odd-numbered year. Supplemental budgets frequently are enacted in each of the following two years after adoption of the biennial budget. Appropriations are made in the biennial and supplemental budgets for the operation of state government and its various agencies and institutions, including higher education, as well as allocations for the funding of kindergarten through grade 12 public schools.
The 2025-27 Biennial Operating Budget was enacted in 2025. The enacted 2025-27 Biennial Operating Budget appropriates $77.9 billion from Near General Fund-Outlook (NGF-O) accounts (General Fund-State, the Education Legacy Trust Account, the Opportunity Pathways Account, and the Workforce Education Investment Account). The total budgeted amount, which includes state, federal, and other funds, is $150.4 billion including appropriations in other legislation.
The NGF-O appropriations for the 2025-27 biennium are $79.9 billion. Total budgeted funds are $156.2 billion (includes state, federal, and other funds).
Changes to fund transfers and other provisions are made.
Additional details can be found at https://fiscal.wa.gov.
For the 2025-27 biennium, the substitute bill increases NGF-O appropriations from $79.0 billion to $79.9 billion and increases total budgeted funds from $155.2 billion to $156.2 billion.
Please refer to the January 12, 2026, January 14, 2026, and February 23, 2026, recordings of the public hearings on this bill.
(Hearing date January 12, 2026, on the original bill.)
(In support of the original bill) Sara Robbins, Director, Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid; Sandy Kaiser, Evergreen Government Relations; Mike Peroni, Northwest Agriculture Business Center; Dawn Rains, Treehouse; Nicole Kern; Sophia Byrd McSherry, Deputy Director, Washington State Office of Public Defense; Philippe Knab, Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid; Myle Tang, Stand for Children WA; Krystyna Wolniakowski, Columbia River Gorge Commission; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Judy Ellis; Dave Upthegrove, Office of the Commissioner of Public Lands, Department of Natural Resources; Anne Burkland, Human Rights Commission; and Amber Carter, Washington Workforce Association.
(Opposed to the original bill) Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Sheila Morley, Family Impact Network; Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Tori Emerson, President, Washington State PTA; Jolynn Kenney, MENTOR Washington; Marissa Rathbone, WA Assoc of School Administrators (WASA) and WA Assoc of School Business Officials (WASBO); Tarin Todd, RBAW; Lisa Yohalem, HealthPoint; Carma Matti-Jackson, Washington Health Care Association; Alyssa Odegaard, LeadingAge Washington; ROBIN Everett, SIERRA CLUB; Braden Sigua, Pacific Science Center; Chris Mulick, Washington State University; Erin Haick, SEIU 925; Len Mc Comb, WASHINGTON STATE HOSPITAL ASOCIATION; Tim Eyman, Initiative Activist; James Hurst; and Anthony Mixer, Citizen Volunteer Lobbyist.
(Other testimony on the original bill) Erica Hallock, Start Early WA; Erica Hallock, School Nurse Organization of Washington; Kim Justice, Partners for Our Children; Kate Garvey, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; Jacqui Cain, American Federation of Teachers (AFT-WA); Alex Galeana, Children's Campaign Fund Action; Samuel Martin, Washington Coalition for Homeless Youth Advocacy; Rick Chisa, Public School Employees of WA/SEIU 1948; Roshelle Cleland, WA State Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; PAULA REED, Children's Advocacy Centers of Washington; Christopher Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts; Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; Dr. Kevin Brockbank, Spokane Colleges; Annalise Martucci, Office of Civil Legal Aid; Hali Willis, Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; Morgan Hickel, University of Washington; Kati Durkin, Washington Federation of State Employees; Noah Seidel, Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds; LaDessa Croucher, Resolution Washington; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; Radu Smintina, School's Out Washington; Seamus Petrie, Washington Public Employees Association; Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline; Suzi Fode, New Hope and Kids Hope Children's Advocacy Center; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; Andrew Villeneuve, Northwest Progressive Institute; Steve Hobbs, Office of Secretary of State; Jeff DeLuca, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Rashi Gupta, UW Medicine; Jaime Bodden, WSALPHO; Peter Diedrick, WA State School Retirees' Association; Charlie Brown, South Sound Superintendents; Jenny Morgan, Washington School Counselor Association; Nancy Canales, Front and Centered; Jani Hitchen, Pierce County Council Chair; Michael Moran, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; and Jane Wheeler.
(Hearing date January 14, 2026, on the original bill.)
(In support of the original bill) Marty Reid; David Knight, UW; Eric Carlson; Jill May, Washington Association for Children and Families; Doug Hostetter, Tacoma Public Schools; Marty Reid, Tumwater School District; Daniel Whelan, Sustainable Northwest; Joe McDermott, State Relations Director, King County; Sarah Dickmeyer, Plymouth Housing; Ramona Brandes, Washington Defender Association and Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Aaron Yared, Building Changes; Ashe Tippins; Max Mendez Kauffman, Office of Civil Legal Aid; Ryan Blackwell, W4A (Washington Area Agencies on Aging); Linnea Anderson, Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators; Melissa Derry; Tom McGarry; and Michael Moran, WA Music Therapy Task Force.
(Opposed to the original bill) Darcy Nonemacher, Washington Conservation Action; Jay Tyus, Superintendent, Wilbur and Creston Cooperative School Districts; David Mendoza, The Nature Conservancy - Washington; Rhonda Hauff; Samiksha Mokashi, Avamere Rehabilitation of Issaquah; Jordan Monson, Cascadia Healthcare; Cosmo Cecilia, Enumclaw Health and Rehabilitation Center- Evergreen Healthcare; Joe Rudd, Alderwood Park Health and Rehabilitation of Cascadia; Amy Seils, Cascadia Healthcare; Russell Sells, Olympia Transitional Care and Rehabilitation- Ensign Services; Chris Beckers, Parkside Retirement-Noble Healthcare; Monique Mason, Heartwood Extended Care- Evergreen Healthcare; Christine Cooley, Executive Director, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency; Leah Missik, Climate Solutions; Randy Heath, Washington State Alliance of YMCAs; Derek VanSpoor, Retired Public Employees Council of WA; Aren Permadi; Mindy Bradley, The Oaks at Lakewood; JOHN WORTHINGTON; and Cynthia Tamayo, WA State School Directors' Association.
(Other testimony on the original bill) Amy Brackenbury, Washington State Public Health Association; Michael Moran, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; Carrie Nyssen, American Lung Association; John Lemus; Kat Lohman, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children; Vanessa Saavedra, Northwest Health Law Advocates; Nello Picinich, Coastal Conservation Association; Curtis Steinhauer, Washington State Association of Counties; Vanessa Kritzer, Washington Association of Land Trusts; Anna Nepomuceno, Northwest Harvest; Megan Dunn, Snohomish County, District 2; Alison Mondi, Arcora Foundation; Shawn Latham, Self Advocates In Leadership; Matt Doumit, Washington Forest Protection Association; Jeff DeLuca, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Wesley Jessup, Eastern Washington Historical Society (Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture); Jason Peterson, Community Employment Alliance; Tammy Bowen, Work Opportunities; Chris Guardiano, Work Opportunities; Gary Rowe, Public Works Board; Melissa Spear, Tilth Alliance; Brahmi Pugh, Coalition for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture; Natalie Wellen, UAW 4121; Beatrice Caffe, UAW 4591; Willow Heidt, UAW 4929; Cathy Murahashi, The Arc of Washington; and Patricia Castaneda, Manzanita House.
(Hearing date February23, 2026, on the proposed substitute bill.)
(In support of the proposed substitute bill) Sara Robbins, Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid; Tina Bakowski; Commissioner Carolina Mejia, Thurston County; William Thai, Washington DECA; Amanda Thornewell; Kathy Schmit, Teacher and teacher support; Karen Coulombe, Lake Stevens School District; Harshita Sinha, Lake Stevens School District; Xavier De La Cruz Trujillo, Lake Stevens School District; Michele Thomas, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Julia Anderson; Sam Tinsley, Washington Public Employees Association; Nicole Kern, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates; Myle Tang, Stand for Children WA; Doug Judge, Center for High School Success; Leonard Johnson, WA Fire Chiefs Association & McLane Black Lake Fire Department; Collette Edge, American Occupational Therapy; Dawn Vyvyan, Yakama Nation; Nora Selander, Western Washington University; David Coffey, Recovery Cafe Seattle; Kevin Chang, University of Washington; Rashi Gupta, UW Medicine; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; and Chris Mulick, Washington State University.
(Opposed to the proposed substitute bill) Larry Delaney, Washington Education Association; Cynthia Tamayo, Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA); Tori Emerson, President, Washington State PTA; Marissa Rathbone, WA Assoc of School Admin (WASA) & WA Assoc of School Business Officials (WASBO); Tyler Muench, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Dr. Scott Phillips, Washington Poison Center; Kate White Tudor, Washington Occupational Therapy Association; Kari VanderHouwen, Pharm-A-Save Granite Falls; Mary Spores; Melanie Gomes; Jennifer Pitonyak; Heather Fritz; Patricia Toole, OT/Parent of disabled adult; Ranee Munaim; Angela Kugler, DigiPen Institute of Technology; Donna Cole Wilson; David Cacanindin, Brain Tree Therapies; Mandi Rehn, Valley School District; Jennifer Erickson; Mariko Itchkawich; Sarah Ladderud, NA; Leanna Namovic; Laura Baumgardner; Cassandra Santiago; Andie Webb, Superintendent, Kahlotus School District; T Scott Brandon, Olympic Peninsula Community Clinic; Amy Jennings; André Johnson; Christiane Clarke; Jami Flick; Julia Ladner; Amal Grabinski, PROVAIL; Malika Lamont, Purpose Dignity Action; Sandy Kaiser, The Evergreen State College; Nina Carter; Keri Carkeek; John Carlson; Cynthia Flynn, Washington Association of Birth Centers; Chris Blanchett, Seattle Film Institute; Bethany Ary, SFI Student; Nathan Tippmann, Geoduck Student Union; Allison Nelson; Carolanne Sanders Lundgren, Purpose. Dignity. Action.; Kathrine Manolopoulos; BriAnn Davis, Whitman Recovery Community Center; Ashley Dawson, Snohomish County LEAD; Leslie Emerick, Home Care Association of Washington (HCAW); and Zamzam Mohamed, Voices of Tomorrow.
(Other testimony on the proposed substitute bill) Christopher Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts; Jolynn Kenney, MENTOR Washington; Sophia Byrd McSherry, Deputy Director, Washington State Office of Public Defense; Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; Alyssa Patrick, Washington Association for Community Health; Paula Reed, Children's Advocacy Centers of Washington; Kati Durkin, WFSE; Rick Chisa, Public School Employees of Washington (PSE SEIU 1948); Ramona Brandes, Washington Defender Association and Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Lance Morehouse, Sherwood Community Services; Laura Randall; Darcy Huffman, Community Employment Alliance; Jennifer Green; Alyssa Odegaard, LeadingAge Washington; LaDessa Croucher, Resolution Washington; Karen Pillar, TeamChild; Maile Hadley, First 5 Fundamentals; Brandy Taylor, Seattle Roots; Sam Hatzenbeler, Economic Opportunity Institute; Zach Wester, Noble Healthcare; Joe Rudd, Alderwood Park Health and Rehabilitation of Cascadia; Samiksha Mokashi, Avamere Rehabilitation of Issaquah; Kimberly Fuqua, Evergreen Healthcare; Shawn Latham, Self Advocates In Leadership; Brandon Nettlekiss; Anne Loucks, Fir Lane Care; Zoee Brucell, Cedar River Healthcare Center; Noah Seidel, Office of Developmental Disabilities Ombuds; Cathy Murahashi, The Arc of Washington; Ramona Hattendorf, The Arc of King County; Lee Che LEONG, Northwest Health Law Advocates (NoHLA); Will Daugherty, President and CEO, Pacific Science Center; Zeta Strickland, Director of Education, Pacific Science Center; Hector Mendez, Executive Director of Leadership & Accountability, Yakima Public Schools; Hali Willis, Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness; De Anna Winterrose, Benton/Franklin Parent Coalition; Nicole Kiddoo, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging/Lewis Mason Thurston AAA; Kim Justice, Partners for Our Children; Jim Theofelis, NorthStar Advocates; Carma Matti-Jackson, Washington Health Care Association; Demas Nesterenko, SEIU775; William Hairston, Center for Children & Youth Justice; Kat Lohman, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children; Nate Humphrey, WA State Board for Community & Technical Colleges; Ivan Harrell, Tacoma Community College; Rachel Khoo, The Mockingbird Society; Chloe Merino, Disability Rights WA; Plaintiff Counsel A.B. v. DSHS (Trueblood); Matt Doumit, Washington Forest Protection Association; Rob Colombini, Child Care Aware of Washington; Soleil Boyd, Children's Alliance; Sheila Capestany, Start Early; Skippy Shaw, The Nature Conservancy in Washington; Michael Moran, Chehalis Tribe and Colville Tribes; Derek Sarley, Director, Walla Walla Public Schools; Devin Gombosky, Northwest Career College Federation; Lonnie Johns-Brown, Full Life Care; Kelly Olson, Civil Survival; Daniel Pailthorp, Maddie's Place; Katherine Mahoney, Prodigy Learning; Linnea Anderson, Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators; Meagan Cordova, Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators; Judge Kristin Ferrera, Superior Court Judges' Association; Judge Cindy Larsen, Superior Court Judges' Association; Jeff DeLuca, Washington State Community Action Partnership; Ashley Jackson, Seattle Children's; Dave Upthegrove, Office of the Commissioner of Public Lands, Department of Natural Resources; Tarin Todd, Recreational Boating Association of Washington; Crystal Leatherman, Washington Retail Association; Katie Beeson, Washington Food Industry Association; Nancy Canales, Front and Centered; Anisa Smith, HopeSparks; Leah Missik, Climate Solutions; Brooke Fisher-Clark, Imagination Library of Washington; Nick Federici, United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, Pioneer Human Services; Gregory Joseph, Alliance For Gun Responsibility; Joe McDermott, State Relations Director, King County; Seth Boun, Northwest Progressive Institute; Audrey Miller Garcia, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, Lower Columba Estuary Partnership; Amanda Hohlfeld, Washington Attorney General's Office; Krystyna Wolniakowski, Executive Director, Columbia River Gorge Commission; Madison Kenney, Friends of the Columbia Gorge; and Brian Bonlender, Public Works Board.
Christopher Brunetti, Northwest Justice Project; Tanesha Ross, WA State Music Therapy Task Force; Tom McGarry; Corryn Zylstra, Great Peninsula Conservancy; Aaron Yared, Building Changes; Danielle St. Germain, Cascadia Healthcare; Erin Doss, Queen Anne Healthcare- Avamere; Nathan Butler, San Juan Public Hospital District 1; Julian Loaiza; Emily Brice, Northwest Health Law Advocates; Cathleen MacCaul, AARP Washington State; Taylor Crisp; and Josh Diekmann, Pierce County-Planning and Public Works Dept.