Brady PieperWashington legislators have unanimously approved a $7.3 billion capital budget for the upcoming biennium.
The new budget, titled SSB 5195, proposes significant investments across Washington’s infrastructure, education, housing and environmental sectors, seeking to address immediate needs and long-term funding goals for the state. While approved by the state Senate, the House of Representatives will evaluate its own $7.6 billion capital budget proposal before presenting both proposals to Gov. Bob Ferguson.
K-12 schools and higher education institutions will be one of the largest priorities under the Senate’s budget proposal. Combined, the Senate’s budget provides $2.2 billion to support the operations, modernization and expansion of educational facilities.
The budget allocates $1.2 billion for projects at state-based colleges and universities with $400 million slated for community and technical colleges. Of the remaining school funding, a significant portion—$563 million—will be delivered to the School Construction Assistance Program, which funds school districts’ major construction or modernization projects.
The budget highlights several state and federal contributions to higher education projects, including $40.8 million for the renovation of Anderson Hall at the University of Washington and $25 million for Washington State University’s Science Building.
The state Department of Commerce (DOC) will be responsible for several projects that modernize early learning facilities throughout the state. The budget will allocate just over $380 million to these schools, including a $60 million investment in the Early Learning Facility Grant and Loan Program for the design, purchase, construction or modernization of public or private educational facilities.
Another funding priority, housing, will be supported by approximately $770 million in the budget proposal. Seeking to expand affordable housing options, the state will invest in several grant and loan programs to spur the development of affordable housing units throughout the state, including contributions to the Homestead Community Land Trust and first-time, low-income home buyer programs.
As the state is slated to host games for the 2026 World Cup in Seattle, the budget will earmark more than $22 million in new and reallocated funds to upgrade facilities prior to the event. The funding will be delivered to the DOC for three projects, including $4.1 million to enhance security and safety at Lumen Field, $7.9 million for field and infrastructure improvements and a $100,000 state match for upgrades to Gonzaga University’s practice field.
The Senate’s capital budget proposal represents a combined bipartisan effort between the state’s Democrats and Republicans, prioritizing funding for core government responsibilities while maintaining the state’s financial position.
Beyond the capital budget, partisan goals will be more clearly defined in the state’s proposed bond bill, which authorizes the issuance of bonds to support government needs, and the operations budget, which supports new and existing debt services.
Considering these issues, Washington lawmakers will convene for the state legislative session through April 27. If deemed necessary, the state could extend this period by opening a special session to discuss additional pending legislation. The Senate’s recently-approved $7.3 billion capital budget bill can be found on the Washington Legislature’s website.
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