Lawmakers scramble to pass state operating budget

OLYMPIA — Washington lawmakers are expected to start voting Monday on a state operating budget a day before a deadline to avert a partial government shutdown.

Rep. Ross Hunter, the House’s Democratic budget writer, said he hoped the budget would pass off of both chambers’ floors by late Monday night.

“Time is of the essence,” he said. “There’s no reason to not run this tonight.”

Full details of the budget were expected to be released publicly Monday afternoon. An outline of the agreement provided Saturday says that the budget is about $38 billion, that it spends an estimated $1.3 billion on K-12 basic education, and that it will reduce the cost of tuition at the state’s colleges and universities and community colleges. The outline also says the budget will fully pay for collective bargaining agreements for state employees and raises for teachers, as well as put more money into the state’s mental health system and other social service programs.

The Legislature is in the midst of a third overtime session. A new two-year budget must be signed by Gov. Jay Inslee by midnight Tuesday to prevent dozens of state agencies and other offices from closing completely or partially. Thousands of state workers have already received notice that they would be temporarily laid off starting Wednesday if a budget isn’t adopted in time.

Lawmakers had struggled for months on the two-year state budget because of differing ideas on how to address a state Supreme Court mandate to put more money into the state’s basic education system.

Meanwhile, transportation leaders say they have reached agreement on a transportation revenue package that would include an 11.9 cent incremental increase in the gas tax. A vote on that budget was also expected Monday night.

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