GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED 2019-21 BIENNIAL BUDGET

Governor Inslee released his recommended 2019-21 biennial budgets on December 13, 2018. The
Governor’s budget is the first step in formulating a budget for the coming biennium. The Legislature will
convene in January, and over the course of the legislative session the House and Senate will each propose
biennial budgets. Ultimately, the Legislature will agree to a conference or compromise budget, which will
be signed by the respective House and Senate leaders and then be sent to the Governor for his signature.
The regular legislative session is scheduled to end April 28, 2019.

Operating Budget
Governor Inslee’s operating budget includes:
• $10.8M for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine to complete funding for four cohorts of 60
students each. WSU is also requesting $3.6M to expand to 80 students beginning Fall 2019.
• $15.4M for compensation for faculty and non-represented staff. WSU requested $38.4M to fund
two increases of 4% each.
• $2.8 M for a soil health research and extension initiative
• $460K for a new Attorney General focused on health care and student conduct.
• The budget also expands the Washington College Promise Scholarship (formerly State Need Grant)
to serve an additional 6,000 students in AY 2019-20, and an additional 12,000 students in AY
2020-21.

Capital Budget
Governor Inslee’s proposed capital budget actions include:
• $36.4M for construction for Global Animal Health Building II
• $27M for construction of Tri-Cities Academic Building
• $500K for predesign funding for Spokane-Biomedical & Health Sciences Building II
• $4M in design funds for Vancouver Life Sciences Building
• $4.9M for STEM: Undergraduate Teaching Labs Renovation
• $21.4M for minor capital preservation
• $10.393M for minor capital program/omnibus equipment