Walla Walla County commissioners briefed on sweeping state budget moves, courthouse funds and proposals affecting dispatch and roads

Commissioner Gunnar Fulmer delivered a 40-minute legislative update Monday that highlighted several bills and budget moves at the state level the county is tracking as the 2025 session moves toward adjournment.

Fulmer said Walla Walla County remains listed in the Senate capital budget for the 2025–2027 biennium as a recipient for courthouse funding and quoted the draft allocation as $1.996 million. He cautioned that the allocation is not final while the House and Senate reconcile their budgets: "We're not completely out of the budgetary roll yet though...there's always a chance that it could get cut," he said.

The update covered bills and funding proposals commissioners said could affect county roads and services. Fulmer noted a substantial salmon and steelhead restoration package (Senate Bill 5804) that would redirect some public-works assistance revenues and warned that counties and cities are opposing moves that would sweep money out of the Public Works Assistance account. He said the Senate proposal…