Washington signs capital and operating budgets and a package of bills including major housing investments

State leaders in Olympia signed a series of bills and the capital and operating budgets during a ceremonial session, highlighting what the presenter described as the largest state-funded affordable-housing investment in a single biennium.

The presenter said, “This bipartisan budget bill, Senate Bill 6003, invests more than $200,000,000 in affordable housing across our state,” and noted that the package brings Washington’s total affordable-housing investment for this biennium to $960,000,000. The presenter also identified targeted allocations including $123,000,000 to the Housing Trust Fund and $9,000,000 for farmworker housing, plus $1,000,000 to replace 25 flood-damaged trailers in Chelan County.

Why it matters: the capital budget’s housing funding and the operating budget’s line items aim to address persistent housing shortages and basic services amid a multi-billion-dollar shortfall in state finances. The presenter framed the decisions as balancing core services (K–12 education and early childhood programs) while absorbing costs imposed by recent federal legislation.

Key details: among the bills signed were Senate Bill 5974, which the presenter said “modernizes Washington law governing sheriffs, police chiefs, and town marshals” by setting minimum qualifications and allowing removal of decertified chiefs; House Bill 1960, which smooths tax payments for renewable-energy projects so local governments and tribal nations receive steadier revenue; House Bill 2034, which restructures the closed LEOFF 1 retirement plan and delays opening a replacement plan until June 2029; and House Bill 2487, which clarifies a B&O tax exemption tied to a Washington Supreme Court case so only businesses that paid the insurance-premium tax may claim the exemption.

Tax and budget moves: the presenters signed bills meant to raise revenue or close loopholes, including Senate Bill 6231 (eliminating an exemption for replacing server equipment in existing data centers, estimated to raise more than $350,000,000 through 2031) and Senate Bill 6228 (raising the B&O tax rate for many prescription-drug distributors while retaining a lower rate for critical-access pharmacies). The presenter said these steps were necessary to avoid deeper budget cuts after facing a large operating shortfall.

Federal impacts and program funding: the presenter cited federal legislation (referred to in the briefing as HR 1) and said the state is absorbing related administrative and program costs, including $16,000,000 in IT costs tied to federal requirements and $45,000,000 in increased SNAP administrative costs. The operating budget also includes $55,000,000 for the Cascade Care program and $30,000,000 for the state home energy assistance program.

Process and sponsors: the presenter repeatedly thanked legislative sponsors and staff; specific sponsors mentioned during the ceremony included Senator Lubbock (SB 5974), Senator Yasmin Trudeau and Representative Steve Tharinger (SB 6003 capital budget), Representative Alex Rammell (HB 1960), Representative Tim Hornsby (HB 2681), Representative Mia Gregersen (HB 2689 and a vice-chair role), Senator Grama (SB 6228 and SB 6231), Senator Lisa Wellman (SB 6260), Senator June Robinson and Representative Tim Ormsby (operating budget), and Representative Nicole Macri (HB 2487).

What’s next: the presenter said some technical adjustments and interim work remain—for example, concerns about the vacancy-creation process in the sheriffs/chiefs bill—and that agencies and future legislatures will implement detailed steps (for instance, the Department of Retirement Systems will work on the LEOFF 1 transition).

The ceremony included routine photo opportunities and logistical pauses; no formal roll-call votes were recorded on the floor during the signing event itself.