The 2020 legislative session ended in mid-March, and earlier this month, Governor Inslee finished signing bills into law, including the 2020 supplemental operating budget.
Key outcomes for WWU from the 2020 session include:
- $886,000 per year in new funding for the reduction of tuition rates for four-year degree programs offered at WWU on the Peninsulas;
- Passage of HB 1755, authorizing Western to offer applied doctorate level degrees in education; and
- Passage of SB 6139, reauthorizing the state’s Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation (JCATI), which supports research in WWU’s Plastics and Composites Engineering program.
Unfortunately funding originally included in the budget for Western to offer American Sign Language (ASL) courses was vetoed by the governor as a means of achieving budget savings to address the state’s COVID-19 response.
State revenue collections are expected to fall sharply this year due to the significant economic impacts of the coronavirus response. The next official state revenue forecast is scheduled for June 17th, but the State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council will likely release preliminary data on revenue projections later this month.