Washington State Passes $80.2B Budget, Protects Immigrant Workers, Saves Preschools

Washington states legislative session wrapped up on March 12 after passing an 80.2 billion dollar supplemental operating budget, including an 889 million dollar capital budget for infrastructure and a 16.6 billion dollar transportation budget boosting road preservation and ferry support, according to Washington Bar News. Governor Bob Ferguson vetoed 300,000 dollars for the Prime Time Family Reading Program, drawing criticism from educators for impacting rural families, as reported by Seattles Child. New laws effective June 2026 protect immigrant workers by requiring I-9 audit notifications and offer collective bargaining if federal protections lapse, per Ballard Spahr alerts. In business news, Seattles housing market shows signs of slowing amid broader economic pressures, with a YouTube market update highlighting shifting buyer trends. Employment remains steady, though charter schools lost 7.5 million dollars in enrichment funding, affecting tutoring and arts for students. Community efforts shine as the It Takes a Village campaign raised over 34,000 dollars by mid-April to save Seattle cooperative preschools serving 2,100 families, threatened by a state funding shift to workforce programs, Seattle's Child notes. Infrastructure gains from the capital budget promise statewide projects, while public safety advances with a bill strengthening judicial security, though it awaits House action. Weather challenges persist: A 48 percent snowpack drop below normal signals drought risks, per the April 1 Washington Water Supply Outlook Report from Dayton Chronicle. Federal aid flows after President Trump approved disaster funding for December's historic flooding, covering up to 173 million dollars in road and levee repairs requested by Ferguson, as announced by FEMA via Tacoma Daily Index. Looking Ahead: Watch for Les Miserables closing at Paramount Theatre on April 19, Pacific Northwest Ballet's Giselle, and WSU choirs Carmina Burana on April 23. The physician pay stabilization bill advances in committee. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Please subscribe for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3Qs For more check out http://www.quietplease.ai This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.