OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — House Democrats have passed a budget agreement that keeps in place a delayed payment to schools that Senate Republicans have said will ensure its failure in the Senate.
The proposal passed on a 53-45 vote hours ahead of the midnight Thursday end of the 60-day legislative session. It’s an agreement between House and Senate Democrats, but is not expected to be the final budget that passes the Legislature. Gov. Chris Gregoire already met once with leadership from both parties in the House and Senate on Thursday and they were expected to meet again sometime in the evening.
Gregoire first insisted on a budget deal by midnight, but has since said she wants at least a framework. She has said that even with a deal, a special session would be necessary to procedurally get everything done in the coming days.
