Blog

House operating budget would shift federal relief money previously appropriated for learning loss to special education

The enacted 2021–23 operating budget appropriated $553.1 million from the federal elementary and secondary school emergency relief (ESSER) fund to address pandemic learning loss. This money is mostly from the third ESSER round, which must be spent by Sept. 2024. Washington’s school districts received $1.668 billion from the third round and the Office of Superintendent […]

The hospital safety net assessment program could be permanently extended; budget proposals assume $452 million in general fund savings in 2025–27

The Legislature looks set to extend and overhaul the hospital safety net assessment (HSNA) this year. Under current law, an assessment is levied on hospitals’ non-Medicare inpatient days. The collections are then returned to providers as Medicaid payments, which generates the federal Medicaid match. Those funds can be used to supplant state spending. This policy […]

Tax policy, benefit policy, and economic impact provisos in the budget proposals

The Senate and House 2023–25 operating budget proposals include various provisos related to tax policy, benefit policy, and economic impacts. (This post refers to the budget proposals as passed by the Senate and approved by the House Appropriations Committee.) First, the Senate proposal would reauthorize the Tax Structure Workgroup (TSWG). In December, the TSWG recommended […]

House chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget would reduce 2021–23 appropriations by $804 million (and what’s happening with K–3 class size compliance?)

The House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget proposal would reduce 2021–23 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by a net of $804.0 million. Maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) changes would increase appropriations by $423.9 million and new policies would reduce appropriations by $1.228 […]

The mystery of the higher education funding swap

The Senate operating budget proposal includes a mostly hidden swap of higher education funding for the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) that would result in more spending from the workforce education investment account (WEIA). First, some background on the WEIA: The account may be used for higher education purposes, and it “must be used to […]

W&M operating budget amendments would transfer more from reserves to fund additional spending

On Monday, the Senate Ways & Means (W&M) Committee amended and passed its chair’s operating budget proposal. Adopted amendments would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $191.1 million in 2023–25. Total NGFO appropriations for 2023–25 would be $69.375 billion. Of the changes, the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, […]

House chair’s operating budget would increase appropriations for new policies by $5.004 billion

New policies in the House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023–25 operating budget proposal would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $5.004 billion. (Maintenance level changes would increase appropriations by another $914.6 million.) The chart below compares the policy changes to those in the proposals from the governor and the Senate Ways & […]

House chair’s operating budget balances over four years because it assumes higher-than-normal reversions

The House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023–25 operating budget proposal would appropriate $70.044 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). That’s $859.9 million more than has been proposed by the Senate Ways & Means Committee chair, and it would be an increase of 9.2% over enacted 2021–23 appropriations. (The House chair’s proposal would appropriate $359.0 […]

Senate chair’s 2023 supplemental would reduce 2021–23 appropriations by $711.5 million

As in Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal, the Senate Ways & Means Committee chair’s 2023–25 proposal balances in part thanks to reductions in appropriations for 2021–23. The Senate chair’s 2023 supplemental proposal would reduce 2021–23 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $711.5 million. Maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted […]

Like the governor’s operating budget proposal, the Senate chair’s is heavy on provider rates and compensation

The Senate Ways & Means Committee chair’s operating budget proposal would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $5.059 billion compared to the enacted 2022 supplemental. (That includes appropriations in other legislation.) The maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) is estimated to increase by $914.5 […]