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County lobbyist: Legislature at midpoint; budget shortfall and several county-related bills still moving
Summary
Mike Burgess updated Spokane County commissioners on the state legislative session’s midpoint, budget shortfall proposals and the status of bills that could affect county programs and costs.
Mike Burgess, staff member, Spokane County (state legislative update), told the Board of County Commissioners on March 4 that the Washington Legislature is at its midway point and moving from committee work to prolonged floor debate.
Burgess said many appropriations bills had to clear fiscal committees before the recent cutoff and that the next major deadline for bills of origin is March 12. He said budget releases are expected the week after that cutoff and that more concrete detail on revenue and cuts should arrive then.
The update focused on the budget gap and proposals to close it. "The big issue with the budget is the shortfall, and how the majority party proposes to close that," Burgess said, noting Governor Jay Inslee previously proposed roughly $3 billion in cuts and that Governor Ferguson had proposed additional adjustments. Burgess said the governor’s proposals would roll some post-COVID increases back for programs such as foundational public health, leaving funding above pre‑COVID levels but below current levels.
Burgess reviewed bills the county has tracked or taken positions on. Items he listed as still active or moving include: a competency evaluation bill that the county opposes because it could shift costs to counties (then in the House Rules Committee); 911 funding language (in Rules); a law-enforcement hiring grant bill (noted as moving to the House floor); comprehensive plan updates (on the House second‑reading calendar); an aviation support bill; and a waste‑to‑energy bill (Senate bill 5703) that must be pulled from Rules onto the floor to meet the March 12 deadline.
He also flagged environmental crimes legislation as being on the floor calendar and noted county concerns about potential impacts on county employees and hiring. When asked whether regional associations (WASAC or AWC) had formal positions, Burgess said he had not seen an official legislative steering-committee position but that members had been in contact and that he would follow up.
The county did not take any formal actions on the update during the briefing. Burgess closed by saying once budget releases arrive the county will dive into the capital and operating proposals.
Burgess left the briefing after the update; commissioners asked follow-up questions about homelessness and public-safety funding priorities during later agenda items.
