The first full week in December marks for many the beginning of the legislative session season.

Washington’s representatives and senators will travel to Olympia to discuss the lastest budget figures, proposed policy frameworks for the 2011 session, and to finalize votes for leadership.

Several work sessions and public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means and House Ways & Means will be a review of the Governor’s across-the-board reductions, the November revenue and economic forecast, the work of the Governor’s Committee on Transforming Washington’s Budget, and the outlook for the current fiscal year and the 2011-13 biennium.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and House Education Appropriations, Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plans to receive updates and learn the latest regarding the 2011-13 budget outlook, the HECB Master Plan, and teacher education.