The 2024 legislative session begins Jan. 8 and will run for 60 consecutive days. During this short session, legislators will pass the state’s supplemental operating, capital, and transportation budgets, which modify the biennial budgets passed last session.
Governor Jay Inslee kicked off the budget process by releasing his budget proposals earlier this month. His proposed budgets prioritize behavioral health care, opioid and fentanyl crisis, climate change and education. His behavioral health package devotes nearly $449 million to increasing state-run bed capacity, invest in hospital staffing, and strengthen behavioral health services for youths. An additional $68 million is allocated to the opioid crisis, including education, treatment, and prevention. $140 million is dedicated to the state’s housing/homelessness strategic agenda. This funding will include creating housing for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, maintaining encampment resolution efforts, and creating a housing emergency fund.
The governor’s proposals also funded the University of Washington’s legislative priorities, as well as a few additional items:
Operating Budget
- $2.5M in FY25 (ongoing) for the UW School of Dentistry RIDE program to develop more dentists committed to practicing in Washington’s rural and underserved communities, where high quality dental care is often challenging to access.
- $330K in FY25 for the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering Startup Program to help prepare students with high potential and high academic need succeed in the Allen School and the workforce.
- $50M in one-time funding for UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center to continue serving the medical and behavioral health needs of Washingtonians, especially those who are most vulnerable, and training the next generation of health care providers.
- $20M in FY25 for Behavioral Health Teaching Facility support, which will operate 75 long-term beds.
- $239K in FY25 for Senate Bill 5447, Alternative Jet Fuels Reporting to calculate and report on jet fuel emissions around SeaTac International Airport.
- $153K in FY25 for Maintenance & Operations for the UW Medical Center-Northwest behavioral health renovation.
Capital Budget
- $5M to design a new Chemical Sciences Building and modernize Bagley Hall to help meet course demand, increase degree production, attract and retain world-class faculty, and conduct cutting edge research.
- $38.9M from the Climate Commitment Act for energy renewal projects at the UW’s three campuses and UW Medical Center-Northwest. Funded projects include centralized cooling at UW Seattle, replacement of gas fired boilers at UW Tacoma and UW Bothell, and HVAC replacement at UW Medical Center-Northwest.
For in-depth details, see the Washington State Office of Financial Management’s budgets highlights (hyperlink) and the brief prepared by the UW Office of Planning & Budgeting on their Briefs page.