Senate Reforms: State Debt Limit
The Senate 2012 supplemental proposal includes a constitutional amendment that would change the state debt limit. ESJR 8221, which passed the Senate by a vote of 41-7 on March 5, would first change the calculation of the state debt limit so that it is based on six years of general state revenues. (The constitutional limit […]
March 16 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Senate Reforms: Public Employee Retirement
The Senate 2012 supplemental proposal would make changes to public employee retirement plans. ESB 6378 passed the Senate March 3, by a vote of 25-24. It would close Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), School Employees’ Retirement System (SERS), and Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plans 2 to new entrants as of July 1, 2012. It would […]
March 16 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Senate Reforms: Consolidated School Employee Benefits
Another of the reforms in the Senate’s proposed 2012 supplemental is SSB 6442, which would establish a consolidated purchasing system for public school employee health benefits. (It was passed by the Senate Ways and Means Committee Feb. 23.)
March 16 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Senate Reforms: Education Funding
As I mentioned yesterday, the newly proposed Senate supplemental includes several reforms. These include SB 6618, which would repeal Initiatives 728 and 732. (The bill has seen no action in the legislature so far.)
March 15 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Highlights of the New Senate Supplemental Proposal
Today Senate Republicans, along with three Democrats, proposed a new 2012 supplemental budget. It would close the $1 billion remaining budget problem through a familiar formula of new revenue, fund transfers, and spending reductions. The proposal would leave reserves of $437.4 million (more than in the version that passed the House March 8, but less […]
March 13 , 2012 - Emily Makings
WSJ: "States Keep Axes Sharpened"
Yesterday marked the beginning of a special session of the legislature, in which legislators must balance the 2011-13 budget. In today’s Wall Street Journal, a reminder that Washington is not alone in this: State governments are confronting a combined $47 billion gap between projected revenue and costs for the fiscal year that starts in July, […]
March 13 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Medicaid Fraud Legislation
On March 8, before the regular session ended, the legislature passed ESSB 5978, which creates a Medicaid fraud false claims act. Its enactment was assumed by the 2012 supplemental budget that passed the Senate, as well as the second House-passed supplemental. It is estimated to reduce 2011–13 revenues by $4.9 million.
March 08 , 2012 - Emily Makings
Quick Look at the Hunter Striker
As mentioned earlier today in our policy brief on the House and Senate supplemental budgets, the House Ways and Means Committee chair, Rep. Hunter, has proposed a striking amendment to the Senate bill. It would reduce appropriations by less and leave a lower ending balance than either the House or Senate bill. Like the House, […]
March 08 , 2012 - Emily Makings
New Brief: Comparing House and Senate Supplemental Budgets
Our policy brief on the House- and Senate-passed 2012 supplemental budgets is available here.
February 24 , 2012 - Emily Makings
New Brief: House Ways & Means Chair's Proposed 2012 Supplemental
On Tuesday, Rep. Hunter released his proposed 2012 supplemental budget. Our brief on the proposal is available here.