Yesterday the Senate Ways & Means (W&M) Committee approved the chair’s 2020 supplemental operating budget proposal. The committee adopted several amendments, which (if my calculations are correct) add about $8.9 $9.2 million to the proposed spending increases for 2019–21. This would bring proposed 2019–21 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook plus the workforce education investment account to $54.0212 billion (an increase of 20.9 percent over 2017–19 spending).

Some of the notable adopted amendments include:

• $1.4 million for expanded background check capacity at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
• $1.0 million for two more basic law enforcement academy classes each year of the biennium.
• $800,000 for behavioral health support services for youth in shelters.
• $700,000 more for career and technical education student leadership organizations.
• $613,000 more for WWU to reduce tuition in certain programs.
• $500,000 for a solar siting pilot project in the Columbia Basin (through WSU’s energy program).
• $500,000 for the Department of Fish and Wildlife to plan hatchery improvements.
• $500,000 would be appropriated from the general fund to the landlord mitigation program account.
• $100,000 for the Health Benefit Exchange to “conduct an assessment of the impact of a state requirement that individuals enroll in health coverage.”

The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider the House chair’s operating budget proposal in executive session this afternoon.