Skip to content

Today in Olympia: Day 2 of Special Session

Today is Day 2 of the 2013 3rd Special Session.

This morning, the House Finance Committee approved a proposal (House Bill 2089) to extend tax incentives for Boeing and the aerospace industry.

The proposal’s next stops are in committee meetings this afternoon: Senate Ways & Means (1:30PM), and House Appropriations (3:30PM).

Tune in to watch the sessions online at: http://tvw.org/

More Olympia news:

Sen. Ed Murray has resigned as leader of the Senate Democrats following his election as mayor of Seattle. Sen. David Frockt has been named interim leader (read more at King5.com).

The News Tribune reports on Jan Angel’s victory in the closely watched race for the State Senate seat in the 26th Legislative District.

Earlier in the week, Governor Inslee named a new Chief of Staff — longtime adviser Joby Shimomura.

Editorial: A proud moment for the state Legislature

UW President Michael K. Young
President Michael K. Young

In a guest opinion editorial published in The Olympian newspaper, UW President Michael K. Young recognizes state legislators for their work on behalf of higher education in the state budget:

I am very proud of our state Legislature. As difficult and protracted as the process was, our legislators passed a state budget that reinvests in the state’s future by supporting the education of our young people. It’s an achievement that deserves to be recognized.

The state budget is an encouraging reminder that the trajectory of a public issue can be altered for the better and that downward spirals need not continue. Many individuals, including faculty and student leaders, labor leaders, business executives, and newspaper editors demonstrated the power of a thoughtful argument, persistently and eloquently presented, and the capacity of our citizens and our democratic institutions to respond constructively. The resulting political compromises and the long-term thinking of the legislators should be a source of pride for every Washington citizen. By their bold action, our legislators have taken an important step to reenergize our public colleges and universities and return momentum to Washington’s historic commitment to educating its citizens to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Read more here.

Statement from UW President on the proposed Washington state budget

The following statement is from Michael K. Young, president of the University of Washington.

“The proposed state operating budget agreement represents a significant step forward, not only for University of Washington students, faculty, staff and their families – but also for the state of Washington.

“For the first time in over two decades, state reinvestment in this budget agreement will allow the UW to hold resident undergraduate tuition rates at their current levels without compromising the extraordinary quality of students’ educations. In addition, new investments in engineering and computer science will expand access to critical programs for qualified students, creating an expanded talent pipeline for the 25,000 high demand job opportunities currently available in our state.

“Budget negotiators are to be commended for their vision in making these essential investments in Washington’s economy and future leaders. Furthermore, we are grateful for the strong commitment and unyielding efforts of our incredible advocates, including the steadfast UW community, engaged alumni, dedicated partners in the business community, and broad-based newspaper editorial support. I am optimistic the investments in this budget are a sign of renewed focus and investment in higher education in Washington state.”

Governor Jay Inslee calls second special session

Today (June 11) is the last day of the first 30-day special session, which followed the 105-day regular session of the 2013 Washington State Legislature.

Gov. Inslee announced at a morning press conference that a second 30-day special session would begin tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

The second special session is necessary, because the House and Senate have yet to agree on a final budget plan.

As the Associated Press reports, the second special session comes after a week of floor action on revised budgets — and continued disagreements about how to best address both the state budget deficit and a State Supreme Court ruling on K-12 education funding.

The Seattle Times reported yesterday on the current state of negotiations, saying both sides still appeared to be “far apart,” citing conversations with negotiators in the Governor’s office and both chambers of the legislature. 

Stay tuned to the blog and our Twitter and Facebook feeds for updates.

State House approves revised budget plan

With the deadline for the first 30-day special session looming, the State House passed out a revised budget plan last night.

The Associated Press reports:

With lawmakers entering the final days of a special session, the House voted 53-35 to approve the budget. Republicans in the chamber praised budget writers for dropping a proposed business tax extension but still expressed concern about how the measure was structured.

Continue reading “State House approves revised budget plan”

State Rep. Steve O’Ban tapped by Pierce County Council to fill Carrell seat

The News Tribune reports:

O’Ban will fill the vacancy left by the recent passing of State Senator Mike Carrell.

Learn more about O’Ban by reading our “Huskies on the Hill” Q&A he participated in on the State Relations blog earlier this year.

Everett Herald: Higher ed remains the key

On its Sunday (May 19) opinion page, the Everett Herald published an editorial making the case that higher education is key to the state’s economy. The editorial opens with this point:

The mainspring for landing the Boeing 777X in Washington is higher ed and addressing the skills gap in engineering and technology. The best social program for self-sufficiency, the best business strategy for curtailing unemployment and goosing the economy, is higher ed.

The editorial goes on to cite a range of data that points to the need to reinvest in higher education in our state:

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Washington ranks 37th in public bachelors’ degrees produced per 1,000. Washington falls to 49th in participation in public graduate education. The state also sits, 49 out of 50, in total education funding per student. At UCLA, in a state that defines budget austerity, per-student funding is $11,850 compared to $6,751 at the UW.

For a generation in Washington, the cost (or funding per student) has remained flat. As state support nosedived, tuition ticked up to bridge the divide, pricing out many low and middle-income kids. In 2013, even after four years of double-digit tuition spikes, funding per student at places like the UW is $3,000 less (!) than it was in 2008.

We know the solution. Washington should appropriate $225 million to freeze resident undergrad tuition for the next two years, to make college a manageable option for middle class students. Student financial aid must be fully funded. And boosting capacity in engineering and computer science to align with student demand, a proposal floated by the Washington Roundtable, is the low-hanging strategy to remedy the skills crisis.

Read more.

The Daily: Balancing the budget

The Daily, May 14, 2013
The Daily, May 14, 2013 Photo: dailyuw.com

Today’s front-page story in The Daily breaks down the House and Senate budget proposals being considered in Olympia.

The story tackles a number of topics that lawmakers are confronting in budget negotiations this special session, from levels of state support to tuition-setting, and a proposed 20 percent international student surcharge to computer science & engineering program funding.

President Michael K. Young, Angie Weiss, director of the ASUW Office of Government Relations, Melanie Mayock, vice president of the UW Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS), Xinglu Yao, an international student at the UW from China, and Margaret Shepherd director of UW State Relations are quoted.

Special Session begins today

After a two-week break following its adjournment April 28, the Washington State Legislature is set to begin  Special Session today (May 13).

The News Tribune reports that the first week of the 30-day session so far appears light on the legislative front, and mainly entails budget negotiators meeting to hash out agreement on a state budget. Schedules could change quickly, however, and some committees are set to meet later in the week.

The Associated Press reports that budget writers met a few times during the two week break, but no deal has yet been reached.

In addition to working on the state budget, the Governor has called on state lawmakers to work on a range of policy bills that didn’t make it out during the Regular Session, and to also focus on putting together a statewide transportation package.

Stay tuned to the blog for more updates!

Governor Inslee signs higher education operating efficiencies legislation

Gov. Inslee signs H.B. 1736
Gov. Inslee signs H.B. 1736 Photo: Washington State Legislative Support Services

On Friday (May 10), Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1736, sponsored by Representatives Hans Zeiger, Larry Seaquist, Larry Haler, Gerry Pollet, Cindy Ryu, David Sawyer, Steve Bergquist, Chad Magendanz, and Jessyn Farrell.ŸŸ

The central goal of the legislation is to enhance the efficiency of higher education institutions by better coordinating and streamlining certain state reporting requirements. The bill directs the Office of Financial Management, higher education institutions, and several state agencies to review reporting requirements, and report recommendations for changes by December 2013.

The bill was successfully amended in the State Senate to include a proposal from earlier legislation authored by Representative Marcus Riccelli, which allows for student advisory committees to be formed at each four-year institution of higher education. The purpose of the committees will be to advise and assist the administration of the institution on issues that directly affect students’ ability to access and succeed in their educational programs.

Among other provisions, the bill also allows institutions of higher education and state higher education agencies to use or accept secure electronic signatures.