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Brooklynn Hillemann

Washington State Journal

Gov. Jay Inslee said lawmakers delivered on his call to take “big, bold, action,” after the 60-day legislative session ended March 10 in Olympia, with a $64.1 billion supplemental state budget approved at the midnight deadline.

Besides boosting spending by $5 billion in the current two-year budget cycle, legislators approved the first major transportation funding package since 2015.

Speaker of the House, Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said: “We wanted to advance every single Washingtonian, and we’ve done that with the work we’ve done.”

CARES paused: Legislators paused the state’s long-term care benefit program by 18-months. Democrats and Republicans argued the program was not solvent; more than 473,000 residents opted out of the program for a private plan. The law delays the collection of the tax until July 2023.

Gun restrictions: Legislators approved a bill prohibiting the manufacture, sale or distribution of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. A bill passed prohibits weapons at ballot counting sites and school board meetings and bans open carry of firearms at local government meetings and election-related facilities. Those with concealed pistol licenses are exempt.

Police reform: Washington lawmakers last year passed more than a dozen police accountability measures. Many argued the reforms had unintended consequences on police agencies. Bills passed clarified that officers may use .50 caliber less-than-lethal rounds and can use reasonable force to take someone in crisis into custody. The bills define when police can use reasonable force.

Move Ahead Washington: The nearly $17 billion 16-year package invests in transit projects including the building of new hybrid electric ferries, funding walking and biking corridors, replacing the Interstate 5 bridge at the Oregon border and replacing fish passage culverts. It is funded with revenue from the new cap-and-trade program, federal money, a one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state operating budget surplus and increases in vehicle and driver licensing fees.

The budget: Democrats passed a $5 billion boost to the state’s current two-year budget. The funds increase the number of school counselors and nurses, pay raises for state employees, increase rates for childcare providers and provide rental assistance.

The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website operated by the WNPA Foundation.