Washington Legislature Headed to Special Session Starting May 13 – No Budget Yet

They couldn't get it done, so Inslee is bringing them back.

In what has become a semi-routine experience in our state, the legislature was not able to reach a two-year budget agreement. According to the Associated Press this morning, Gov. Inslee has called for a special session, to begin May 13:

Washington lawmakers have adjourned their 105-day legislative session with no agreement on a new two-year budget, and Gov. Jay Inslee quickly called them to return again in two weeks to complete the work. Inslee said he also wants lawmakers to take up some policy issues that stalled in the Legislature, including laws to address gun violence.

However, AP reports there was some progress made on a few issues:

Before it adjourned yesterday, the Legislature passed a no-new-taxes transportation budget that invests in maintaining state roadways and continues spending on existing big-ticket projects but does not fund new ones. The $8.8 billion budget plan includes continued funding for the Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel project, a replacement bridge for State Route 520 over Lake Washington and high-occupancy lanes on Interstate 5 in Tacoma.