Yesterday, March 12, was the last day of the 60-day 2026 legislative session. Both chambers of the Legislature raced to pass identical budget bills and close out any outstanding business before adjourning until next year.
While this year was another difficult budget year, the University of Washington is thankful that legislators took a creative approach to protect higher education funding. In the 2026 supplemental operating budget, legislators did a one-time net-neutral budget shift that ultimately resulted in no lost funding for the UW. The final budget did include a $1.25 million (1.5%) administrative reduction; however, this was the UW’s only funding reduction. The state’s other public higher education institutions saw the same net-neutral budget shift and administrative reductions.
Additionally, the operating budget included $15 million in ongoing funding for the Center for Behavioral Health & Learning at UW Medical Center-Northwest and $250,000 in one-time funding for the Center for Biotech Innovation & Training at UW Bothell.
In the capital budget, the UW is grateful that full funding at $47.5 million was provided for phase one of the Seattle campus’ Power Plant decarbonization project. Funding for this project is critical because it will immediately reduce the University’s greenhouse gas emissions and support compliance with the Climate Commitment Act and Clean Buildings Performance Standard.
Other noteworthy developments include the passage of a bill to protect the 340B drug pricing program, which was a UW Medicine priority, and the passage of the millionaire’s tax bill. Both of these bills now head to Governor Ferguson’s desk for signature.
More information about the passed budgets will be posted here in the coming days: UW Office of Policy, Planning & State Operations Budget Briefs.
For questions about policy or UW’s advocacy efforts in Olympia, please contact Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu and Kevin Chang at kchang28@uw.edu.