OLYMPIA – The state House of Representatives approved their 2019-21 operating budget plan on Friday, which makes additional investments in critical areas of the state budget such as behavioral health, affordable housing, education, and environment.
“This budget is a blue collar budget,” said Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington. “It focuses on the critical needs across Washington.”
“This budget is about people. It is about putting people first,” said Rep. Timm Ormsby, D- Spokane, chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
Below are a few highlights of the $52.6 billion two-year operating budget:
Behavioral Health: The two-year House Democratic budget will make significant investments in continued efforts to fix the state behavioral health system. Highlights include:
- $91 million to expand community behavioral health beds & services.
- $136 million in this biennium to ensure the stability of our state hospitals and the safety of our patients and staff.
- $76 million in this biennium to comply with the Trueblood
Affordable Housing: In addition to the state capital budget, the state operating budget invests in housing programs and services such as:
- $21 million focused on permanent supportive housing and youth homelessness.
- $13 million for the Housing and Essential Needs Program, which helps people with disabilities who are struggling to find or maintain housing.
Education: This budget proposal fulfills the bipartisan promise made by the Legislature to fund health care coverage for school employees through the School Employee Benefits Board (SEBB) program. This investment will cost $453 million in this budget and $1.1 billion over four years. Other education investments include:
- $70 million for additional special education funding ($153 million over four years).
- $77 million for additional levy assistance for areas with low-property values.
- $5 million additional funding for student mental health and safety.
Other investments:
- $38 million to expand Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots and rate increases.
- $289 million for rate increases for long-term and developmental disabilities care service providers.
- $39 million to improve habitat and protect Orcas.
- $11 million to eliminate the backlog in testing sexual assault kits.
- $13 million in state general funds (over $130 million in total) to increase our wildfire response and address natural disasters.
- $9 million to expand rural broadband.
The House budget, HB 1109, passed by a vote of 56-38.
Senate Democrats unveiled their budget proposal earlier today. Once that chamber approves their budget, the two chambers will begin formal negotiations on a compromise budget.
The legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on April 28.
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