WALeg Day 59: With less than 2 days left, transpo budget passes
OLYMPIA -- Lawmakers gave the final OK to an update to the two-year transportation budget and raises to state troopers shortly after starting work on the second to last day of the regular session.
The House voted 86-10 to approve HB 2524, the supplemental transportation budget, which contains money for work on the North Spokane Corridor and the Central City Line, also provides greater access to toll lanes in the Puget Sound corridor and studies to cut commute times in the most congested areas.
The budget would spend some $5 million for raises for the Washington State Patrol this year and promises more for raises that come from collective bargaining in 2017. Companion legislation authorizing the raises also received final approval in the House, and both bills were sent to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature.
