WA Lege Day 89: House budget discussion begins and ends for a day

OLYMPIA — Floor action began this afternoon on the proposed House Democratic budget with a handful of amendments being approved by voice votes.

Republicans did not offer to substitute their alternative budget, which would cuts about $500 million more. “It wasn’t submitted,” Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ross Hunter said a few minutes before floor action started.

The amendments were mainly non-controversial house-keeping measures, corrections to things inadvertantly left in or out of the 450-page bill in the process of drafting and redrafting.

Now the budget must sit — lay on the bar, in legislative language — for 24 hours after the amendments are printed and added to the bill, so the members and the public have a chance to read it.

Debate and voting happens tomorrow afternoon.