OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Lawmakers have forged a final policy compromise, setting the stage for a flurry of votes to complete their 30-day special session.
House members narrowly approved a bill Wednesday evening allowing the state to outsource certain services. The measure passed despite objections from a large group of Democrats who argued that a provision limiting whether state employees could compete for the proposals was unfair and could cost taxpayers money.
A failed vote could have derailed plans to finish the session by the end of Wednesday because Republicans in the Senate had said that they wouldn’t pass the state’s new spending plan without the bill. The budget is one of several remaining votes that lawmakers need to take Wednesday night.
