Washington budget deal reached but details not released

OLYMPIA – Legislators reached a tentative deal Monday on changes to the state’s main budget, but the public won’t see details until Tuesday, the same day voting on the spending plan could begin.

Budget negotiators said in a joint statement late Monday afternoon the supplemental operating budget for most state programs with spending through June 2017 would make “significant improvements” in mental health treatment and increase spending on teachers and programs for the homeless.

Even without a full budget to study, members of the Senate were confident enough to override the 27 bills Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed on March 10, when he made good on his threat of the consequences of finishing the regular session without an agreement on the supplemental operation budget.

Vetoes of a complete bill are infrequent, and overrides are rare. Inslee’s 27 vetoes in a single sitting was historic, making the Legislature’s subsequent overrides also notable. But the Senate process seemed relatively routine, with each bill’s number being called, no debates on the merits of the contents or the veto, and a roll call vote. They needed at least a two-thirds majority, but most were sent to the House on unanimous votes of senators present.

“Just because something’s historic doesn’t mean it’s not tedious,” Senate Republican Floor Leader Joe Fain, R-Auburn, said at one point.

Vetoed bills that are overridden do not go back to the governor for his signature. That means no signing ceremony in the governor’s office for sponsors and other supporters. But the bills would have to be signed by the secretary of the Senate, so maybe everyone could pose with all the signed bills when everything is complete, Fain suggested.

Senators took a break from overriding bills for a briefing on the tentative budget agreement late Monday afternoon, and then finished the overrides in the early evening. The public will be able to see details on the budget Tuesday morning on the Legislature’s budget website.