The Proverbial Calm Before the Storm
The Legislative Building on the Morning of Day One
(Photo Credit: Erica Hallock)
Trivia!
Which Washington county is named after our state’s first governor?
Governor Ferguson Releases Budget Priorities for 2025-27
On Thursday, Jan. 9th, Governor Ferguson released a 14-page document outlining his budget priorities for 2025-27.
In an accompanying letter, Governor Ferguson shared his view that the state cannot tax its way out of its budget situation and expressed deep skepticism that Governor Inslee’s “untested” wealth tax could close the budget gap. He notes his team is taking time to review each line of Governor Inslee’s proposed budget, but it is clear the state cannot afford all the proposed expenditures. Governor Ferguson states he will not entertain new revenue options until every effort has been exhausted to increase efficiencies.
Governor Ferguson does propose $800 million in new spending, but places heavy emphasis on overall review of state operations to identify savings and efficiencies. Specifically, he projects savings of $4.4 billion over two biennia through an equivalent 6% state agency-wide cut. (Note these cuts would be in addition to those proposed by Governor Inslee in his budget). Governor Ferguson excludes K-12 and public safety entities from this budget reduction exercise and plans to direct state agencies to identify their own reductions.
Governor Ferguson outlines the following Budget Principles:
- Avoid legislation that includes spending hikes outside of the four-year budget outlook;
- Increase the percentage of operating budget funding for basic education;
- Ensure strong budget reserves; and
- Support state employees.
Among new spending items, Governor Ferguson proposes the following for the 2025-27 biennium:
- $100M in new funding for a grant program for cities and counties to hire more law enforcement;
- $240M to support free school meals for all Washington students;
- $600M in the Capital Budget for housing related investments; and
- $100M to support subsidized child care for lower income workers where at least one parent works for a small business.
On a final note, in a cover letter to state legislators accompanying this budget priority document, Governor Ferguson asked each legislator to identify at least one program that is not achieving its intended objective or delivering “meaningful results for the people of Washington,” noting the program could be large or small.
Highlights of the Week
Pomp and Circumstance
The first day of the legislative session began on Monday with a celebration as recently elected (and re-elected) Senators and House members took their oaths of office. Family members and supporters flooded the Capital campus to witness the event.
The week also featured the “passing of the baton” of our state’s executive leadership. On Tuesday, outgoing Governor Jay Inslee provided his final State of the State address where he touted his Administration’s accomplishments while also urging his successor and lawmakers to protect vulnerable Washingtonians as they work through the state’s budget deficit.
Former Governor Jay Inslee’s Official Portrait
Commissioned by the Washington State Arts Commission
Artist: Grace Flott
On Wednesday, the transition became official as Governor Ferguson took the oath of office (and the official website switched over to reflect the change). Governor Ferguson delivered an inaugural speech to a Joint Session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The full ceremony can be viewed on TVW.
Governor Ferguson’s speech struck a different tone than former Governor Inslee’s remarks from the day before. He said he is “… not here to defend government, I’m here to reform it.” He urged an open and honest dialogue about how the state arrived at the budget shortfall and what lessons can be learned. Governor Ferguson stated “I will veto policy bills that defer major spending obligations more than 4 years after the legislation is adopted. These bills violate the spirit of Washington’s requirement that state budgets be balanced over a 4-year period.”
This week also saw a new Secretary of DCYF take the helm. On Monday, Representative Tana Senn took her oath of office as a legislator. Two days later, she assumed the role of Secretary of DCYF after resigning from the Legislature. Similarly, Senator Joe Nguyen resigned his role in the Senate to become the new Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. Welcome Secretary Senn and Director Nguyen!
Legislative Committee Work Sessions
Legislative committees jumped right into work following the swearing in ceremonies, with the House Housing Committee holding a public hearing on the notable rent stabilization legislation. I could barely make my way into the O’Brien Building which houses the committee hearings due to all the people trying to get into that hearing room.
Both early learning related policy committees in the Senate and House held “work sessions” this week to orient their members to the early learning landscape. Many of these committee members are new to the Legislature or to these issues generally, so these work sessions are great orientations. I personally find these work sessions helpful, both for the data provided by the presenters and for hearing the questions from legislators. I always learn something.
On Tuesday, DCYF’s Allison Krutsinger and Nicole Rose presented an update on Fair Start for Kids Implementation and an overview of the Cost of Quality work. You can watch this work session on TVW, beginning at about the 6-minute mark. Later Tuesday, Krutsinger and Rose made a similar presentation to the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee (this work session is also available on TVW).
In the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee, the DCYF presentation was followed by a panel entitled “Perspectives from the Field” to discuss various aspects of the early learning landscape in more detail. These presenters included Genevieve Stokes of Child Care Aware, Cate Bridenstine of the Imagine Institute, Zamzam Mohamed of Voices of Tomorrow and Maggie Humphreys of MomsRising.
Bills, Bills, Bills
For the past month legislators have been able to “pre-file” bills. On the first day of the legislative session, these pre-filed bills were introduced – and there were a lot of them. For example, the Senate Introduction Sheet on the first day of session listing all the Senate’s pre-filed bills ran 30 pages long! And each day more and more new bills are introduced.
There is added complexity this year in that two legislators resigned to take new roles in the Ferguson administration. For example, with both Senator Nguyen and Representative Senn receiving appointments to the Ferguson administration, government affairs folks have been brushing up on what happens to bills prime sponsored by a legislator that resigns. The answer is these bills remain as introduced bills with the second co-sponsor assuming the role of prime sponsor. The more you know…
You can follow along to the pertinent early learning bills via Start Early’s bill tracker that is updated each Thursday.
The following are some newly introduced bills we thought warranted a bit of a deeper dive.
Early Learning Facilities (HB 1314/SB 5297)
This week, Senate and House companion bills were introduced to make improvements to the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Fund. HB 1314 (Rep. Callan/Rep. Abbarno) and SB 5297 (Sen. Trudeau/Sen. Torres) would:
- Make Tribal Compact Schools eligible for the ELF Public School District grant program.
- Subject to appropriations, establish an emergency grant program for projects that are necessary because of natural disaster or another health or safety threat resulting from unforeseen circumstances.
- Clarify that projects supporting the conversion of Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots to full day and/or extended full day are eligible for ELF Fund grants.
- Remove the level of matching funds as a criterion for selecting projects and make other clarifying changes to matching requirements.
HB 1314 and SB 5297 are priorities of the Early Learning Facilities coalition that Start Early Washington convenes. If you have questions or would like more information on this bill, feel free to reach out to me.
Child Care Workforce Standards Board (HB 1128/SB 5062)
HB 1128 (Fosse) and SB 5062 (Stanford) are companion bills that seek to establish a Child Care Workforce Standards Board. The following is a summary of the key provisions of the bills.
Board composition and other details
- A total of 10 members appointed by Governor.
- Three members representing child care workers. At least one must be from a list of three or more names provided by the largest organization representing family child care providers, and at least one must be from a list of three or more names provided by the largest organizations representing center workers.
- Three workers representing child care employers or employer organizations with at least one representing family child care.
- One member representing a professional development or training program for child care workers.
- One representative from an organization representing parents.
- One – Secretary of DCYF (or their designee).
- One – Director of Labor and Industries (or their designee).
- Board members serve four-year terms after initial staggered terms. Initial appointments must be no later than September 1, 2025, and the Board’s first meeting, convened and staffed by the Labor and Industries Director, must be held by October 1, 2025.
- An affirmative vote of five is needed for action. This action includes the establishment of standards.
Role of the Board
- The Board is directed to adopt rules establishing minimum child care employment standards that are reasonably necessary and appropriate to protect the health and safety of child care workers; ensure child care workers are properly trained about and fully informed of their rights.
- Standards include compensation and other working standards.
- Standards are statewide.
- Board may not adopt standards about licensing.
- Must adopt rules establishing initial standards for wages no later than 8/1/26.
- Board must investigate market conditions and existing wages, benefits and working conditions of child care workers for specific geographic areas of the state and specific child care occupations. Using this information, Board must seek to adopt minimum child care employment standards that meet or exceed existing industry condition for a majority of child care workers in the relevant geographic areas and child care occupations.
- Initial employment standards are effective beginning 1/1/27 and remain in effect until subsequent standards are adopted by rule.
- Wages do not go into effect if public money is not allocated.
- If the established child care employment standards result in costs that exceed any applicable federal payments or collective bargaining agreement amounts, the standards are not effective until the appropriation to cover the cost is made.
Worker Trainings
- Board certifies worker organization provided trainings.
- The Board is charged with establishing certification criteria; training focus and requirements; and a process for renewal and curriculum requirements.
- Child care employers must ensure that every two years each of its child care workers must complete one hour of training provided by the certified worker organization.
- Workers must be compensated for their time taking the training.
HB 1128 received a public hearing in the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee on Wednesday, January 15th. SB 5062 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Monday, January 20th.
Cost of Quality Care Bill (HB 1350/Senate companion to be introduced)
HB 1350 is the House vehicle for Cost of Quality Care legislation. Representative Emily Alvarado is listed as the prime sponsor, with Representative Julio Cortes as the second sponsor.
The following is a summary of key provisions and background of the Cost of Quality Care bill:
- The bill is inspired by the work of the Early Education Design Team that included a co-design process involving providers, parent advocates, SEIU 925 and DCYF.
- The bill would transition the state’s use of the Market Rate Survey to set subsidy rates based on the Cost of Quality Care rate model and protect this transition in statute.
- The bill includes language maintaining current statute that sets the 85th percentile of market rate as the baseline subsidy rate.
- The bill does not fully fund the cost of quality care or create a future mandate to do so but puts the tool in place to be revisited by lawmakers in future biennia.
This bill is a priority for the Child Care for WA Roundtable.
A Senate companion bill will be forthcoming.
What’s on Deck for Next Week?
While Monday is a national holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., the Washington State Legislature will be in session. Both the Senate and House of Representatives will hold special floor sessions to honor Dr. King. In past years, bills that typically generated a lot of public testimony would be scheduled for hearing on these federal holidays to allow for maximum public participation. If you are heading to campus next week, be sure to read below about the shuttle services!
Monday, Jan. 20: Workforce Standards Board Public Hearing and Tax Structure Work Session
- On Monday, January 20, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee will hold a Public Hearing on SB 5062, the Senate vehicle for the Child Care Workforce Standards Board, at 10:30 a.m.
- Later that day at 4:00 p.m., the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a work session looking at our state’s tax structure.
Tuesday, Jan. 21: Child Care/Early Learning Work Session
- On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a work session looking at developments in child care and other early learning programs at 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 22: Executive Session (Vote) on House Workforce Standards Board and House Early Learning and Human Services Public Hearing on Early Learning Provider Qualifications
- At 8:00 a.m., the House Labor and Workforce Standards Committee is scheduled to vote on HB 1128, the Child Care Workforce Standards Board bill that was heard earlier this week.
- At 1:30 p.m., the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee will hold a Public Hearing on HB 1082 relating to child care provider qualifications. This bill would give providers until at least August 1, 2028, to demonstrate experience-based competency as an alternative pathway to satisfying qualification requirements.
Visiting the Capital Campus – Shuttle/Bus Service is Here to Help!
Life on the Capital campus is a bit crowded this year with the temporary closure of the Pritchard Building due to construction (more about that in a future newsletter). A long standing problem around Olympia has been parking and if you have been lamenting the demise of the Dash shuttle service, fear not. It is coming back!
If you’ve been on the ground in Olympia the past few years, you may recall Intercity Transit provided the Dash shuttle service between the Olympia Farmers Market and the State Capitol Campus. The shuttle has become a new service route, Route 14, effective January 6th, 2025. Route 14 buses will run from 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays, with service every 30 minutes. As a bonus, it’s free, as Intercity Transit does not collect fares from passengers on fixed-route bus lines as part of the agency’s Zero Fare project.
Additionally, the Department of Enterprise Services operates a shuttle service Monday through Friday (including holidays), 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., every 18-20 minutes. The shuttle is a seven-passenger van clearly identified with the DES logo that picks up and drops off state employees and visitors at the following locations:
- South doors of the Legislative Building
- Legislative Modular Building
- General Administration Building visitor parking lot
- Natural Resources Building visitor parking lot
