This afternoon the Washington Senate released a proposed 2014 Supplemental Operating and Capital budget.

The Senate proposal would boost the state’s $33.6 billion dollar budget by approximately $95.7 million. Of the $95.7 million over half  ($52.1 million) is focused on net policy enhancements and increases including $5 million for the State Need Grant due to the passage of the Real Hope Act and $25 million for the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Program. Much of the remainder ($43.5 million) is associated with maintenance level changes for caseload and other adjustments based on current law requirements including $12 million for higher than anticipated College Bound enrollments.

The Washington House is expected to release a proposed supplemental operating and capital budget later this week.

Higher Education

The supplemental budget proposed by the Senate supports the investment made in higher education in the 2013-15 biennial budget.

The budget makes a handful of investments in higher education including $5 million for the State Need Grant which was expanded under the Real Hope Act and $25 million to expand Opportunity Scholarships available and match the additional private contributions received. In addition the budget includes language for the Washington Student Achievement Council to conduct an assessment of the higher education needs of the city of Covington, the Washington State Auditor to conduct an audit of the use of dedicated local and operating fee accounts by Washington’s public higher education institutions and the Education Research and Data Center to collect and publish short-term and long-term earnings and employment data for completers of higher education degrees.

The budget also extends the tuition freeze for the first half of the biennium to the second year of the biennium.

Capital Budget

The Senate also proposed a supplemental capital budget for higher education. The Senate provided funding for a small number of projects across higher education. This includes authority for Evergreen to enter into a certificate of participation to purchase the existing facility in Tacoma for the College’s Tacoma program; $2 million to remove, clean and dispose of two underground diesel oil tanks at Central Washington University; and $50,000 to conduct a budget evaluation study  of the Carver academic building renovation with OFM and Western Washington University.