Dear Friends,
Welcome to the eleventh week of the legislative session. The legislative calendar is full of scheduled hearings, as committees hear bills that survived House of Origin cutoff and moved to the opposite house. Friday, March 26th is the last day for bills to be passed out of their house of origin policy committees. We will also see some bills start to be heard by the fiscal committees given that there is a quick turnaround of just one week between opposite house policy cutoff and opposite house fiscal cutoff on April 2nd. Keep track of where we are in session by consulting the 2021 Session Cutoff Calendar.
March 17th, the Economic and Revenue Council (ERFC) released the spring quarterly revenue forecast. The ERFC must release the spring forecast by March 20th in odd numbered years (long sessions) and by February 20th in even numbered years (short sessions).
The total state revenue subject to the budget outlook process is forecasted to increase by $1.340 billion in the 2019-21 biennium, $1.949 billion in the 2021-23 biennium and $1.899 billion in the 2023-25 biennium. Changes that contributed to this much improved forecast compared to the November forecast include: two stimulus bills passed, faster than expected vaccine distribution, retail sales have been stronger than expected, and strong residential real estate transactions.
These revenue projections provide House and Senate budget writers with the funding levels they must work with as they draft their respective proposed operating budgets. While revenue collections overall are significantly stronger than anticipated, the Washington State Economist, Dr. Steve Lerch, continued to caution that the COVID-19 pandemic still creates substantial uncertainty with the state and national economy. Employment growth has been slower than expected, gasoline and oil prices are rising, and some business sectors (restaurants, bars, travel, and arts & entertainment) remain weak. There is also awareness that while the revenue projections show an improved overall picture, this does not reflect many people’s lived experiences with many people still struggling with unemployment and other impacts of the ongoing public health emergency and resulting recession. To help Health Policy News readers take a “deeper dive” into the budget, please click here for the Prevention Alliance March Forecast Budget Memo. We will be doing updates to provide you with additional information about the budget process. My thanks to Carrie Glover for her outstanding work on these pieces.
We anticipate the release of both the House and Senate proposed budgets in the later part of this week. Senator Rolfes stated during a committee meeting this week that the Senate operating budget will be released on Thursday, March 25th. It is scheduled for a hearing in Senate Ways & Means on Friday, March 26th. Click here for the Senate Ways & Means Committee agenda and link to TVW to view the hearing. The House has not publicly stated when they will be releasing and hearing their proposed budget, but we expect it will be shortly after the Senate releases theirs. The much improved revenue forecast (see budget section below for more detail) and the infusion of federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan puts the legislature in a very different position than anticipated heading into session when there was still projected to be a significant budget shortfall. The Senate Democrats are expected to release their 2021-2023 operating budget on Thursday, March 25th. The budget will be heard in Senate Ways & Means on Friday, March 26th at 1:35 pm. The House is expected to release their operating, transportation, and capital budgets the following week. Click here to read the budgets as they are posted. In addition to the operating budget proposals, we also expect to see the proposed transportation and capital budgets this week. To prepare for the release of the 2021-2023 operating budget, the Senate Ways and Means Committee has posted A Citizen’s Guide to the Washington State Operating Budget-2021.
On March 15th Governor Jay Inslee signed an emergency proclamation prohibiting all public K-12 schools in Washington from failing to provide opportunities in both remote instruction and on-campus, in-person instruction. The proclamation aims to address the educational inequities and behavioral health issues among students as a result of prolonged virtual education.
Schools will be expected to provide an in-person learning option that equates to at least 30% of instructional time by two key deadlines:
- April 5: All students in kindergarten through fifth or sixth grade (depending on the school district) must be offered a hybrid option.
- April 19: All remaining K-12 students must be offered a hybrid option.
As schools reopen, they must adhere to all COVID-19 public health and cleaning requirements. The proclamation also directs the Washington State Health Care Authority and Department of Health to begin work on recommendations to address the behavioral health needs of children and youth in the next six twelve months.
On March 18th Governor Inslee announced that the statewide eviction moratorium will be extended through June 20, as well as upcoming vaccine eligibility expansion, including restaurant workers, and Washingtonians 60 and older. He also announced that effective immediately, visitations at long-term care facilities and nursing homes may resume.
The Department of Health also announced the launch of a new, user friendly, web tool to assist Washingtonians in scheduling a vaccine appointment near them in multiple languages. The web tool was the result of partnerships with Washington companies Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, Costco, and Prota Ventures, among others.
Saturday morning, I was able to accompany my sister while she received her first COVID-19 vaccine. Shout out to Dr. Anthony Chen and the staff and volunteers of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for a well-run vaccine site at Bonney Lake High School. Their professionalism, cheerfulness and enthusiasm were contagious! While we are all waiting for our vaccines, I encourage you to reach out to family, friends, and neighbors to assist them in securing their vaccine appointments. We can all get there together.
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We will continue to keep you updated with future status updates. If you have bill or policy questions, please feel free to direct them to Julie Peterson at juliep@healthygen.org or my Twitter handle, @HealthyGenJulie.
Ever forward,
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Julie Peterson, Executive Director
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Drive through vaccine clinic at Bonney Lake High School, March 18, 2021.
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Drive through vaccine clinic at Bonney Lake High School, March 18, 2021.
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Drive through vaccine clinic at Bonney Lake High School, March 18, 2021.
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Please note, this status is as of Saturday, March 20th. Please check www.leg.wa.gov for further status updates. Check for new bill additions each week.
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Clinical & Community Linkages
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“Creating the state office of behavioral health consumer advocacy.”
HB 1086
Sponsor: Simmons
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Behavioral Health
Mar 19: Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care at 10:30 AM.
BH - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
“Expanding accessible, affordable childcare and early childhood development programs.”
HB 1213 & SB 5237
Sponsor: Senn
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Early Learning K-12
Status: House Children, Youth & Families
Mar 22: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 1:30 PM
Mar 24: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM
Mar 24: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Children, Youth & Families at 8:00 AM
Mar 25: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Children, Youth & Families at 10:00 AM
Click here for the Fair Start Act Summary
“Concerning working connections childcare eligibility and unemployment benefits.”
SB 5023
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Ways & Means
“Improving maternal health outcomes by extending coverage during the postpartum period.”
SB 5068
Sponsor: Stonier
Sponsor: Randall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Mar 22: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Appropriations at 3:30 PM
“Concerning health equity continuing education for health care professionals.”
SB 5229
Sponsor: Randall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Rules Review
“Concerning the possession of vapor, vapor products, tobacco, and tobacco products by minors.”
SB 5129
Sponsor: Saldana
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Rules 2
See one-pager from Healthy King County Coalition here.
“Funding foundational public health services.”
HB 1201 & SB 5149
Sponsor: Riccelli
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Finance & Senate Ways & Means
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“Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts.”
HB 1152 & SB 5173
Sponsor: Riccelli
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Monitor
Status: Senate Health & Senate Health
Mar 24: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 8:00 AM
“Concerning the regulation of products sold to adults age 21 and over.”
HB 1345 & SB 5266
Sponsor: Pollett
Sponsor: Kuderer
Healthy Gen’s position: Monitor
Status: House Commerce & Labor Senate Labor
“Developing comprehensive school counseling programs.”
SB 5030
Sponsor: Mullet
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Education
Mar 18: Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 1:30 PM.
ED - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
Minority; without recommendation.
"Implementing the national 988 system to enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services."
HB 1477
Sponsor: Orwall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Passed House 3rd
Mar 26: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care at 10:30 AM in anticipation of other legislative action.
“Concerning school-based health centers.”
HB 1225
Sponsor: Stonier
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Health Ways & Means
“Enhancing and expanding behavioral health and suicide prevention crisis response services.”
HB 1182 & SB 5209
Sponsor: Orwall
Sponsor: Dhingra
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Health Care & Senate Behavioral Health
“Increasing affordability of standardized plans on the individual market.”
SB 5377
Sponsor: Frockt
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Health Care
Mar 24: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 8:00 AM
Click here for a one-pager about Cascade Care 2.0
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Social & Economic Conditions
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“Concerning methods to prevent nicotine addiction.”
HB 1550
Sponsor: Pollet
Healthy Gen’s position: Monitor
Status: House Finance
Mar 23: Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 1:30 PM
“Concerning professional learning, equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism in the public school system.”
SB 5044
Sponsor: Das
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Education
Mar 23: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM
Mar 25: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Education at 1:30 PM
Mar 26: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Education at 10:00 AM
“Prohibiting the use of credit scores to determine rates for personal lines of insurance.”
SB 5010
Sponsor: Das
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Second Reading
“Prohibiting weapons in state capitol buildings and grounds and certain other governmental buildings and facilities.”
HB 1234
Sponsor: Senn
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Civil Rights
“Prohibiting the open carry of certain weapons at public demonstrations and the state capitol.”
SB 5038
Sponsor: Kuderer
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Civil Rights & Judiciary
“Including the open carry or display of weapons within the offense of criminal mischief.”
HB 1283
Sponsor: Senn
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Rules Review
“Concerning the restoration of the right to possess a firearm.”
HB 1026
Sponsor: Walen
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Civil Rights
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“Modernizing, harmonizing, and improving the efficacy and accessibility of laws concerning civil protection orders.”
HB 1320 & SB 5297
Sponsor: Goodman
Sponsor: Dhingra
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Law & Justice & Senate Law & Justice
Mar 25: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM
“Eliminating lunch copays for students who qualify for reduced-price lunches.”
HB 1342
Sponsor: Berg
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Ways & Means
Mar 22: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM
Mar 25: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM
“Providing for an additional revenue source for eviction prevention and housing stability services.”
HB 1277 & SB 5279
Sponsor: Ormsby
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations & Senate Housing
"Funding public health services and health equity initiatives through a statewide sweetened beverage tax.
SB 5371
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Health Care
“Concerning foster care and childcare licensing by the department of children, youth, and families.”
SB 5151
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Mar 19: Referred to Appropriations
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“Improving the state's climate response through updates to the state's comprehensive planning framework.”
HB 1099
Sponsor: Duerr
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Local Government
Mar 24: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Housing & Local Government at 10:30 AM
Click here for a one-pager from Futurewise.
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“Concerning long-term forest health and the reduction of wildfire dangers.”
HB 1168
Sponsor: Springer
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks
Mar 23: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks at 1:30 PM
Mar 25: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks at 1:30 PM
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