Washington has a budget, but Legislature isn't finished

The Legislature worked until dawn Wednesday trying to resolve policy issues related to the budget and a standoff in the Senate over a voter-approved class-size initiative, plus a few other smaller issues preventing them from adjourning their third special session.

The class size initiative, 1351, matters because the $38.2 billion budget signed by the governor just before midnight Tuesday does not include the estimated $2 billion in state dollars needed to hire more teachers and shrink class sizes in grades 4 through 12 for the next two school years.

Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, blames Senate Republican leadership for trying to railroad Democrats into voting for the suspension without the benefit of a thoughtful discussion first on how best to meet the needs of Washington's school children.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn says lawmakers have a bunch of issues they need to resolve before they can tell the Washington Supreme Court they have finished fully funding basic education.

In addition to resolving I-1351, the Legislature still needs to pass two bills tied to a transportation revenue package, as well as a bonding bill tied to the state construction budget Inslee has signed.