Now in its 68th day, this year’s 105-day legislative session is rapidly approaching a key cutoff date on March 26th, the last day for policy committees to pass legislation sent to them by the opposite chamber. Fiscal and transportation committees have until April 2nd to report bills to the floor for consideration by the full House and Senate.

Tax and spending bills related to the state budget are not subject to cut-off dates.  

 Last week the House passed an additional bill, HB 1477, to implement the nationwide 988 hotline system. The bill would expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services, to be paid for by new taxes on smartphone and Internet voice services. The bill passed  by a vote of 78-18, with two members excused.

Also late this week, lawmakers in the House introduced a bi-partisan bill to limit the governor’s emergency powers.  HB 1557, sponsored by Rep. Drew McEwen (R-Union) and Rep. Mike Chapman (D-Port Angeles), would require legislative approval to extend emergency orders beyond 60 days. The bill was referred to the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.

As House and Senate committees continue working on dozens of bills, budget writers are working on a 2021-23 spending plan. Senate Democrats will roll out their proposal by March 26th, with a public hearing on SB 5092, to make 2021-23 appropriations, scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on that date. House Democrats say they will have their budget version, HB 1094, ready for possible floor action by Saturday, April 3rd. 

Both bills reflect the governor’s budget proposal, released last December, to spend $57.6 billion in the next two-year budget cycle, more than $4 billion over current spending levels. His proposal would impose new and increased taxes to pay for these increases.  Republicans released a budget proposal of their own which would fully fund state services over the next two years without raising taxes.

Budget writers are benefitting from an unanticipated increase of $3.2 billion in state tax collections, on top of $4.2 billion the state will receive in federal COVID relief funds.

State Democrats say that the extra revenue should be spent on long-term programs, such as expanding child care and early education. They’ve also said that the money could be spent on the state’s transportation budget, due to declining gas tax and toll collections after the governor ordered people to stop traveling when the pandemic hit.

Republicans, on the other hand, have criticized Democrats for continuing to pursue an unconstitutional capital gains income tax and other new taxes. They say that with extra money on hand to pay for needed services, lawmakers should cut taxes on consumers and businesses. Sen. Lynda Wilson (R-Vancouver), the top Republican on the Senate Ways and Means committee said on Wednesday  that if the state can’t live within its means, “we have a spending problem.”

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