State Parks reviews post‑session budget outlook, sees small revenue gains but continued constraints

At the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission work session on April 16 in Spokane, agency leaders gave a post‑legislative and budget briefing that framed this biennium as one of cautious optimism amid longer‑term funding uncertainty.

Brian Considine, the agencyexternal and legislative relations director, summarized outcomes from the recent legislative session, saying the session ended March 12 and that a small number of agency request bills passed while others did not. He noted a few wins for the agencyincluding a narrowly tailored winter recreation bill updating ski‑lift inspection terminology (bill 2272) and a tourism assessment bill that passed with an amendment adding Department of Commerce oversight. He said other agency proposals, notably snowmobile registration fee increases, did not clear both chambers this session but left “movement” and bipartisan committee support that staff may reintroduce in future…