Dear Friend, As I have mentioned before, from the moment that the gavel first comes down to start the legislative session in January, a clock begins to tick in Olympia. In the beginning, the sound is soothing as it counts down the hours and days until sine die – the last day of session. On Tuesday (2/17), the House of Origin cut-off, this clock seems to get louder and more persistent, demanding attention. There are only 19 days left in the 2026 legislative session and there is still so much to do, including balancing three supplemental budgets (operating, capital, and transportation), debating significant revenue packages (both state and local), and passing numerous policy bills. During the last three weeks of a short session, the ever-present ticking of the clock seems to become the rhythm and heartbeat of everyone walking the halls in Olympia. The clock is often seen as the legislative session’s biggest foe, but also the necessary encouragement that pushes the process to meet the demands and requirements each year. Beginning last Wednesday (2/18), the Legislature has only 8 days to take action on bills passed by the opposite chamber before the next policy cut-off on February 25th. This tight timeline means that most policy committees will meet only 3 or 4 times to get their work done. Adding to the chaos, the focus will be on more than policy bills during this time, as both the Senate and House are expected to release their proposed budget tomorrow (Sunday, February 22nd) and hold hearings in the Senate Ways & Means and House Appropriations Committees the next day on Monday, February 23rd. After releasing their proposals, budget leaders from all four caucuses (House Ds, House Rs, Senate Ds, and Senate Rs) will begin the exhausting negotiation process. Once a compromise is crafted, no other changes can be made, which means that lawmakers will take only an up or down vote on the final budget. As you can imagine, the atmosphere in Olympia is a bit intense, as there is a very short amount of time when advocates can effectively influence the budgets and secure funding for their top priorities. This past Monday (2/16), the state’s February revenue forecast was released. Fingers were crossed and salt was thrown over multiple shoulders as the entire Capitol campus seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation. It was to the backdrop of collective relief that the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) reported that revenue has increased since the November forecast. Honestly, I don't think a group of economists has ever been celebrated as much as the handful that made their presentation on Monday afternoon before a packed hearing room. Overall revenue was up $827 million, which is about a 1% increase since November. Budget writers now have an additional $438 million more in revenue for the 2026 supplemental budgets to offset the $2.3 billion deficit that they were facing at the beginning of January. This increase in revenue is due to several factors: - Increase in consumer purchases ahead of anticipated tariffs
- Tax changes enacted after the 2025 session that increased the retail and sales tax on services and sales
- A small increase in employment numbers
Adding to the positive news that ERFC delivered on Monday, the revenue forecast also projects an additional $1.028 billion in the 2027-29 biennium. Early learning has drawn considerable attention this session because several proposed funding reductions targeted this area as a way to help address the budget shortfall. In addition to the public/private investments in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) through the preK promise account (Senate Bill 5872), the Legislature is trying to manage the Governor’s proposed budget reductions in Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) and the Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) program. Introduced on Wednesday (2/18), Senate Bill 6353, sponsored by Senator June Robinson (38-D), makes modifications to the WCCC program, including freezing the eligibility at the current levels of 60% of state median income and a rebasing of the child care provider rates to 75% beginning on July 1, 2027. These funding reductions would directly impact families and providers. This past week, Senator Lisa Wellman (D-41) introduced Senate Bill 6260. This comprehensive bill addresses transportation and Running Start issues, and includes proposed changes to the TTK program. SB 6260 ties TTK enrollment to the amount allocated in the operating budget. This means the TTK program “slots” might rise and fall with the amount provided in the budget, potentially making it difficult for school districts to navigate during their own budgeting processes. The bill also sets eligibility requirements for state-funded slots, and in exchange allows schools to use local levy funds or other resources to fund additional TTK slots. SB 6260 and SB 6353 were heard before the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Thursday (2/19). This week, committee agendas seem to be changing hourly as bills are being added and removed, only to be added back. While a handful of education bills supported by LEV passed out of both chambers, it is difficult to provide updates, since by the time you read this, their status may have changed. Updated bill information can be found on the legislative website, Welcome to the Washington State Legislature. Working to the soundtrack of the ticking clock, the Legislature will be putting in the long hours necessary to sine die on March 12th. Luckily, the end is in sight, which makes the intense pace seem doable. As my grandma used to say, "You can dance with the devil as long as it is for a limited amount of time." | 
