OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Latest on budget negotiations at the Washington state Legislature (all times local):
5:57 p.m.
Gov. Inslee has asked state parks to remain open Friday as lawmakers move closer to moving a new state budget.
Originally state park officials said because they need time to prepare the parks for closure, they needed to shutter them a day before a potential partial government shutdown. That would have meant that park staff would have removed campers from the parks on Friday morning, and day use visitors and new campers would have been denied entry.
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate have been struggling for months to find compromise on a budget that addresses a state Supreme Court mandate on education funding. They reached agreement on the budget after overnight negotiations that ended Wednesday morning. A vote is expected Friday.
Lawmakers are in the midst of a third overtime session, and if a new budget isn’t signed into law by midnight Friday, a partial shutdown starts Saturday.
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4:15 p.m.
A bipartisan budget agreement that has taken months to reach to address a court mandate on education funding looks at a mix of resources: An increase to the statewide property tax earmarked for education, a new requirement for all online retailers to collect sales tax and the closure of a few tax exemptions.
The details on the long-awaited plan were released in bits and pieces Thursday, a day after legislative leaders announced they had reached a deal between the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-led Senate. Official budget documents were not expected to be released until Friday morning, the last day the Legislature has to pass the budget so that Gov. Jay Inslee can sign it by midnight to avoid a partial government shutdown.
The education plan, which lawmakers say spends $7.3 billion over four years, also keeps in place local property tax levies but caps them at a lower level.
The new education funding plan is designed to satisfy a Washington state Supreme Court ruling that said lawmakers violated the state Constitution by not providing enough money for students.
Lawmakers are in the midst of a third overtime session, and if a new budget isn’t signed into law by midnight Friday, a partial shutdown starts Saturday.
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3:50 p.m.
State lawmaker have released some details of a $7.3 billion education funding plan designed to satisfy a state Supreme Court mandate on spending for K-12 pupils in Washington.
The four-year proposal includes increases to the state contribution to teacher salaries and specifies a minimum annual wage of $40,000 for beginning educators. The minimum wages could be adjusted supplemental contracts.
The plan also says that beginning in 2019 the maximum levy districts could impose would be $1.50 per thousand dollars of assessed value of property in the district or $2,500 per student, whichever is less.
Local districts would also have to get state approval for special levies to supplement funding for enhancements.
The new education funding plan is designed to satisfy a Washington state Supreme Court ruling that said lawmakers violated the state Constitution by not providing enough money for students.
Lawmakers are in the midst of a third overtime session, and if a new budget isn’t signed into law by midnight Friday, a partial shutdown starts Saturday.
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2:11 p.m.
Even though a state budget deal has been announced the state parks system might still close on Friday.
Spokeswoman Virginia Painter says because they need time to prepare the parks for closure, unless they are told otherwise by Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday, the parks will be closed on Friday. That means that park staff will need to remove campers from the parks on the Friday morning, and day use visitors and new campers will be denied entry.
Inslee spokeswoman Jaime Smith said that all of the state agencies are continuing their contingency plan for a possible partial government shutdown if the Legislature doesn’t get the governor a budget in time for him to sign it before midnight Friday.
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate have been struggling for months to find compromise on a budget that addresses a state Supreme Court mandate on education funding. They reached agreement on the budget after overnight negotiations that ended Wednesday morning. A vote is expected Friday.
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11:30 a.m.
Washington lawmakers are getting briefed on the details of a new two-year state budget and an education funding plan as staffers race to finish the various bills that the Legislature needs for a vote.
Legislative leaders had initially said that the budget and other related documents would be posted publicly at noon Thursday, but later had to amend that, saying they won’t be available until Thursday night. Democratic Rep. June Robinson, who has been part of the budget negotiations, said that exhausted staffers are trying to get the complicated bill done as quickly as possible in time for a vote Friday.
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate have been struggling for months to find compromise on a budget that addresses a state Supreme Court mandate on education funding. They reached agreement on the budget after overnight negotiations that ended Wednesday morning.
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9:25 p.m.
Washington lawmakers are preparing to be briefed on details of a bipartisan compromise on a two-year state operating budget as staffers race to finish the lengthy bill.
Legislative leaders had initially said that the budget and other related documents would be posted publicly noon Thursday, but later had to amend that, saying they won’t be available until Thursday night. Democratic Rep. June Robinson, who has been part of the budget negotiations, said that staffers are trying to get the complicated bill done as quickly as possible in time for a vote Friday.
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate have been struggling for months to find compromise on a budget that addresses a state Supreme Court mandate on education funding. They are in the midst of a third overtime session, and if a new budget isn’t signed into law by midnight Friday, a partial shutdown starts Saturday.
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