It’s week three of the 1st special session of the 2012 legislature and only small developments have taken place to date. Last Friday, March 23, The Olympian reported both the House Democratic and Senate Republican budget “gimmicks” are no longer being considered in budget negotiations.

During the regular legislative session House Democrats proposed a budget that delayed paymnet to K-12 schools  by one day freeing up around $300 million. Senate Republicans responded with a budget that skips a pension. Both proposals were dubbed as budget “felony gimmicks” by State Treasurer Jim McIntire.

These “gimmicks,” along with the differing budget proposals, have created a stalemate between lawmakers and pushed the 2012 legislature into special session. At the beginning of week 3 little progress seems to have been made. As a result, Governor Gregoire says she isn’t doing more bill signings until she sees more progress. “So I will sign no bills on Monday. I had planned to and I will not,” Gregoire said. Her office is not saying which specific bills are put in limbo. Governor Gregoire has until March 31 to sign bills before they automatically become law.

Late last week a “third” budget option was proposed that seems to be the most viable to date.  It would let the state spend $238 million in sales-tax money in the 2011-13 budget cycle that otherwise would sit idle before being shipped out to local governments. Governor Gregoire is quoted in The Olympian as saying, “I can characterize that by saying no one has said no” to the new idea, Gregoire said. “But you need to understand that in budget language that means no one is prepared to say yes till the final deal is over. So the fact that no one has said no is important at this point.” Lawmakers are thought to have stayed in Olympia throughout the past weekend continuing budget negotiations and may be meeting with Governor Gregoire early this week (March 26) to report on whether progress has been made.

As of Monday morning no announcements have been made on whether rank and file members have been asked to return to the capitol. If that happens, it may indicate lawmakers have reached a compromise.