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Negotiations in overdrive as state budget talks near deadline
by Keith Eldridge
Lawmakers proceed to work on a budget in Olympia (Photo: KOMO News)
State lawmakers are inching closer to a budget agreement that would avert a partial shutdown of state government. Negotiations have been going late into the night.
A budget has to be passed and signed by the governor by Friday midnight or the state faces a partial shutdown.
“I remain optimistic,” said Sen. Mark Schoesler, R, Senate Majority Leader. “Clock is running. People are working hard. I’m attempting to avoid distractions that keep them from working hard.”
“We’re making progress,” added Rep. Pat Sullivan, D, House Majority Leader. ” We worked late, late last night. We began early this morning. We’ll do the same today.”
The governor says he’s encouraged, but says this is causing state agencies and workers a lot of anxiety with a Saturday shutdown still looming.
“I’m not at liberty to share details of their negotiations right now,” Inslee said. “But I do want to tell you that I’m anxious to get this news that we all hope will shortly be forthcoming.”
While negotiations proceed behind closed doors, key floor votes are taking place. In this example, the House and Senate compromise bill (HB 2224) to give high school seniors who didn’t get a diploma because they failed one of the high stakes tests a chance now to get that diploma.
“I want to talk a minute about a youthful man named Brandon,” said Rep. Laurie Dolan, D-Olympia, on the House floor. She was referring to Brandon Lerner who is a senior at Marysville Mountainview High School. He is ready to join the Marines.
“I dreamed to do something fatter than myself. To help serve my country,” he said.
But he didn’t pass two of the high-stakes tests. The Marines had recruited him but had to say “no, not without a diploma.”
“I was pretty devastated,” Lerner said.
He and hundreds of other seniors in the same predicament bondage contacted lawmakers to make a switch.
They did. The bill passed 94-0.
If passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, they can petition the state superintendent to get a waiver if they can demonstrate the lack of diploma is holding up their chance at success.
“That youthful man is going to get to join the Marines on July 24th because of this fresh policy,” said Dolan. Lerner said of his involvement, ” I feel indeed good. I feel I was able to help a lot of other people.”
