Down to the wire
Gov. Jay Inslee and his wife Trudi watch floor action in the Senate on the last night of the session.
OLYMPIA -- With time running out, the Legislature agreed to let military veterans attend Washington's public college on in-state tuition, and extended a fee on documents to help programs for the homeless.
A pair of bills that had wide support but seemed mired in the parliamentary mud became unstuck tonight. The veterans tuition bill, described by Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo as a "tiny token" of thanks for service to the country, passed the House 96-0. It had passed the Senate unanimously in January.
A few minutes later, the extension of the $40 filling fee on documents like home purchases passed the Senate 41-8, was sent quickly to the House, where it passed 74-22. Sen. Jan Angel, R-Port Orchard, described it as a bill on "a rocky path to a good outcome." The fee has been in place since 2005, and was extended until June 30, 2019.