Tag Archives: state legislature

Action on Supplemental Budget to Begin Next Week

Posted on by

Next week the House Ways & Means Committee is scheduled to take action on the supplemental budget for the current fiscal year.

In December the Legislature convened a special session to remedy a portion of the budget gap in the current biennium.  The actions taken by policymakers reduced the estimated $1.2 billion shortfall by approximately $700 million. This left a remaining budget gap of approximately $502 million.

The actions next week will focus on closing the remaining budget gap in the current fiscal year.  This is part of an effort by both House and Senate leadership to expedite an early action supplemental budget reduction bill.

In comments earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Brown stated that though the goal is to attempt to close the revenue gap in this fiscal year, both chambers are also focused on ensuring that actions taken in the supplemental budget dovetail with the biennial budget the Legislature must have in place by June 30, 2011.

The hope is to finalize the supplemental buget by early February.

House Education Appropriations Continues Budget Discussion

Posted on by

This afternoon the House Education Appropriations Committee completed a work session on education funding and held a public hearing.

The Governor’s Office completed its presentation of the proposed supplemental budget for the current biennium and the 2011-13 biennial budget.

Following the presentation organizations, institutions, teachers/faculty, students, parents, and other concerned citizens testified before the Committee with recommendations and requests to minimize the impacts proposed under the Governor’s budget.

Higher education’s public baccalaureate sector was represented by students, faculty, and institutions. Each institutions testified to the major impacts of the Governor’s proposed 211-13 proposed biennial budget.

Washington Senate Changes Historic Rule

Posted on by

Today, the Washington Senate voted to end a 96-year-old requirement that amendments to the operating budget offered on the Senate floor receive a supermajority in order to pass.

In 1915, the Senate adopted a supermajority requirement for floor amendments to the operating budget proposed by Ways & Means Committee. A two-thirds vote was requirement for amendments, but the Senate heard amendments on the floor as a committee of the whole, which appears to have meant that votes on the amendments were not recorded.

The requirement for voting as a committee of the whole was dropped in 1983, and the threshold lowered from two-thirds to sixty percent, creating the rule as it has existed for 28 years until today.

Higher Education’s Contributions to the Economy and Citizenship Focus of First House Higher Education Cmte Hearing

Posted on by

This afternoon the House Higher Education Committee began the 2011 legislative session with a work session focused on the contributions of higher education to society.

The work session was anchored by two substantial reports focused on the contributions higher education makes to both the economy and citizenship.

Dr. Zumeta, UW School of Public Affairs and Educational Leadership & Policy Studies focused on higher education’s impact on society.  His presentation focused on the impact of higher education on the economy and on several subgroups within society, including low-income individuals and underrepresented communities.

Dr. O’Mara, University of Washington History Department, provided a historical examination of the impact of higher education on society with an emphasis on Washington.

The Committee also received an overview of the state’s economic and revenue forecast and the health of the state’s labor market.

The next scheduled meeting of the House Higher Education is Wednesday, January 12.

* Note: All committee presentations can be found on the House Higher Education Committee’s website by clicking on Committee Meeting Documents, selecting the date and work session, and then selecting the presentation

2011 Washington Legislature Convenes

Posted on by

Today the 2011 Washington State Legislature convened in Olympia.

The next 100 days will be dominated by discussions regarding the current fiscal year budget and the 2011-13 biennial budget. In addition, it is expected that policymakers will look at legislation that will enhance job creation and reform parts of government.

The 105-day regular legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on April 24.

2011 Legislative Session: Week 1

Posted on by

The 2011 Legislative Session convenes on Monday, January 10.

Several work sessions and some 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 ,  House Ways & Means, House Education Appropriations) will be a review of the Governor’s proposed operating and capital budgets for 2011-13.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and  Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plans to receive updates and learn the latest regarding the contributions of higher education to the economy, a profile of Washington college students, and higher education funding.  In addition, work sessions will focus on the interim work of the Technology Transformation Task Force, the Lottery with regard to Opportunity Pathways, and the HECB’s work on accountability and system design.

Committee Memberships Finalized in WA Legislature

Posted on by

Today the House and Senate Republicans announced committee assignments for the 2011 legislative session. This follows the Democrats announcement of chairs and committee membership in December.

Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee

  • Tom, Chair
  • Shin, Vice Chair
  • Hill, Ranking Minority Member
  • Baumgartner
  • Becker
  • Ericksen
  • Kastama
  • Kilmer
  • White

Senate Ways & Means

  • Murray, Chair
  • Kilmer, Vice Chair
  • Zarelli, Ranking Minority Leader
  • Baumgartner
  • Brown
  • Conway
  • Fraser
  • Hatfield
  • Hewitt
  • Honeyford
  • Kastama
  • Keiser
  • Kohl-Welles
  • Parlette
  • Pflug
  • Pridemore
  • Regala
  • Rockefeller
  • Schoesler
  • Tom

House Capital Budget

  • Dunshee, Chair
  • Ormsby, Vice Chair
  • Warnick, Ranking Minority Leader
  • Asay
  • Jacks
  • Jinkins
  • Lytton
  • Pearson
  • Tharinger
  • Zeiger

House Education Appropriations & Oversight

  • Haigh, Chair
  • Probst, Vice Chair
  • Anderson, Ranking Minority Leader
  • Dammeier
  • Dahlquist
  • Fagan
  • Frockt
  • Hargrove
  • Hope
  • Maxwell
  • Nealey
  • Orwall
  • Rekydal
  • Rolfes
  • Santos
  • Sells
  • Smith
  • Stanford

House Higher Education

  • Seaquist, Chair
  • Haler, Ranking Minority Leader
  • Buys
  • Carlyle
  • Crouse
  • Fagan
  • Hasegawa
  • Jacks
  • Parker
  • Probst
  • Reykdal
  • Sells
  • Springer
  • Warnick
  • Zeiger

House Ways & Means

  • Hunter, Chair
  • Darneille, Vice Chair Appropriations
  • Hasegawa, Vice Chair Finance
  • Alexander, Ranking Minority Leader
  • Bailey
  • Carlyle
  • Chandler
  • Cody
  • Dammeier
  • Dickerson
  • Haigh
  • Haler
  • Hinkle
  • Hudgins
  • Hunt
  • Kagi
  • Kenney
  • Orcutt
  • Ormsby
  • Parker
  • Pettigrew
  • Ross
  • Schmick
  • Seaquist
  • Springer
  • Sullivan
  • Wilcox

Washington House Announces Committee Chairs and Members

Posted on by

This week the Washington House of Representatives announced the chairs and committee membership for the 2011 regular session and 2012 supplemental session.

Committee assignments have yet to be announced for the Senate Republicans and House Republicans.

House Capital Budget

  • Rep. Dunshee, Chair
  • Rep. Ormsby, Vice Chair
  • Rep. Jacks
  • Rep. Jinkins
  • Rep. Lytton
  • Rep. Tharinger

House Education Appropriations

  • Rep. Haigh, Chair
  • Rep. Probst, Vice Chair
  • Rep. Frockt
  • Rep. Maxwell
  • Rep. Orwall
  • Rep. Reykdal
  • Rep. Rolfes
  • Rep. Santos
  • Rep. Sells
  • Rep. Stanford

House Higher Education

  • Rep. Seaquist, Chair
  • Rep. Carlyle
  • Rep. Hasegawa
  • Rep. Jacks
  • Rep. Probst
  • Rep. Reykdal
  • Rep. Sells
  • Rep. Springer

House Ways & Means

  • Rep. Hunter, Chair
  • Rep. Darneille, Vice Chair
  • Rep. Hasegawa, Vice Chair
  • Rep. Carlyle
  • Rep. Cody
  • Rep. Dickerson
  • Rep. Haigh
  • Rep. Hudgins
  • Rep. Hunt
  • Rep. Kagi
  • Rep. Kenney
  • Rep. Ormsby
  • Rep. Pettigrew
  • Rep. Seaquist
  • Rep. Springer
  • Rep. Sullivan

Washington House Reduces the Number of Commitees

Posted on by

This week the Washington House of Representatives released the list of 2011-13 Standing Committees. The list reduces the number of Standing Committees from 25  to 21.

The major committees that focus on higher education policy and appropriations will continue, including Higher Education, Education Appropriations & Oversight, and Ways & Means.

This session there will be several new committees that combine aspects of former committees.  These include Business & Financial Services, Community Development & Housing, Early Learning & Human Services, Environment, Labor & Workforce Development, and Local Government.

The following committees will no longer exist:

  • Audit Review & Oversight
  • Commerce & Labor
  • Community & Economic Development & Trade
  • Early Learning & Children’s Service
  • Ecology & Parks
  • Environmental Health
  • Finance
  • Financial Institutions & Insurance
  • Human Services
  • Local Government & Housing

Committee chairs and membership are expected some time this week.