The Legislature adjourned sine die last Thursday, July 20, following the conclusion of the 105-day regular session on April 23 and three 30-day special sessions. For the first time during an odd-numbered year in state history, the Legislature adjourned without passage of a biennial capital budget with new appropriations, despite the House of Representatives and Senate each introducing new 2017-19 capital budget proposals since July 1. The most recent House proposal (EHB 1075) and Senate proposal (SB 5981) each include funding for many of Western’s capital budget priorities, including:
- $6.65 million for Classroom and Lab Upgrades;
- $6.179 million for Minor Works Preservation Projects;
- $6 million in partial design funding for the Sciences Building Addition and Renovation;
- $3.6 million for Maintenance and Repairs;
- $1.5 million for Access Control Security Upgrades; and
- $3.188 million for Elevator Preservation Safety and ADA Upgrades.
It is still unclear when the Legislature will pass the final compromise 2017-19 capital budget, but until then, Western is only authorized to continue on-going projects included in the 2015-17 capital budget, per the Legislature’s passage of ESSB 5965 on June 30, 2017. The Western Legislative Review will continue providing updates regarding the state’s capital budget, and you can follow WWU Government Relations on Twitter here.