With Gov. Jay Inslee’s term ending and a new governor set to take office when the Legislature returns in January, state, federal and local officials gathered Friday to discuss their legislative priorities for the upcoming session.
Despite an upcoming change in administration, John Anderson, Southwest Washington regional outreach representative for Inslee, said during a quarterly mayors meeting at the Lewis County Courthouse that the governor’s office is conducting “business as usual” as it solicits legislative requests.
“It will be up to the next gubernatorial administration to determine the tack that they want to change and what their legislative priorities are going to be, but we are still working with communities, governments, and stakeholders for their requested legislation, budget requests,” Anderson said.
When the Legislature resumes in January, lawmakers will be tasked with adopting biennial budgets during the long session. According to Anderson, “a lot of state agencies” have been directed to “hold steady” with their current programs and to anticipate a larger caseload.
“All that’s to say that while we are still reaching out to communities and hearing from them on their budget requests and needs, it’s going to be very difficult for legislators allocating those dollars for the next biennium,” Anderson said. “That’s kind of what we anticipate, I believe.”
An upcoming quarterly revenue forecast will “help paint a clearer picture” of the state’s financial outlook, Anderson said. The estimates, Anderson said, will provide lawmakers and staff additional information “regardless of how the initiative votes may go this November.”
During the meeting, Anderson said the state has celebrated many milestones in recent months, including the fifth anniversary of paid family medical leave. Administered by the Employment Security Department (ESD), the program allows workers to take paid time off to receive medical care or to assist a family member.
According to Anderson, the state has disbursed $5 billion to Washington residents under the program.
“(We’re) really just focusing on some of the programs the state’s put in place to support some of our hardest working families,” Anderson said. “So that was a great celebration earlier this year.”
