Archive for March 2025

The state House and Senate released their proposed operating budgets on March 24, beginning five weeks of intense negotiations to eliminate a $12 billion shortfall and pass a final budget before adjourning on April 27. The proposed budgets have very different approaches on how to begin. At this initial point, the Senate proposal is far…

Dead Bills: Last week was the cut off for bills that did not make it out of their house of origin. Many good bills are dead. For example, SB 5402 would have expanded eligibility for the Washington College Grant the most important state scholarship available.  HB 1557, would have guaranteed public college admission to every…

Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Seattle) met with Evergreen leaders to discuss her work on the House operating budget, which she oversees as vice-chair of the House Appropriations Committee. March 1, 2025—As we near the halfway point of the 2025 legislative session, the reality of the state’s massive budget shortfall is clear to policy makers. On February…