For Bill Information, please click HERE.   Official Text and Analysis.

Makes biennial operating budget appropriations for the 2015-17 biennium and makes supplemental budget appropriations for the 2013-15 biennium.

Appropriates $638,000 from the state general fund for expenditure into the aeronautics account. States that it is the intent of the legislature to continue the appropriation in future biennia. States that funds provided may only be used to fund the operation and administrative expenses of the Washington state department of transportation aviation airport aid grant program.

Removes a statutory change to the fair fund, restoring a transfer of general fund--state to the fair fund to $2 million per year rather than $1,157,000 per year. Increases funding in the Department of Agriculture related to this change..

Provides that the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability must devote at least one meeting to a discussion of strategies to improve the quality of care, client safety and wellbeing, and staff safety in all community and institutional settings. Specifies certain information that must be included within the addendum report by the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability..

Provides one time funding in fiscal year 2016 for College Bound Scholarship (CBS) students who are no longer meet the income eligibility requirements of the CBS program with scholarship award amounts separate from the CBS program. Requires that certain CBS income ineligible students be prioritized for the State Need Grant.

Provides that in OSPI General Apportionment, beginning with the 2015-16 school year, increases the state-funded prototypical school allocation for materials, supplies, and operating costs by $76.50 per skill center full-time equivalent student and by $76.00 per career and technical education full-time equivalent student.

Eliminates the funding for the Labor Education and Research Center at South Seattle Community College.

Provides matching funds in the Department of Social and Health Services Mental Health Program for up to three pilot projects to offer respite services to primary caregivers of people with severe mental illness and establishes criteria for the pilot sites. A report on the results of the pilot projects must be submitted to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 15, 2017.

Adds programs that provide student mentoring to the list of programs that are eligible to receive grants for dropout prevention, intervention and reengagement.

Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to maximize recreation fishing opportunities within available harvests before determining commercial fishing opportunities. Requires the Fish and Wildlife commission to prioritize production at hatcheries based on their contribution to recreational fisheries.

Reduces funding to the Growth Management Hearings Board (part of the Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office). The reduction reflects assumptions in House Bill 1158, which authorizes certain counties and cities to adopt an ordinance granting superior courts exclusive jurisdiction over petitions for review that would otherwise qualify for filing with the Growth Management Hearings Board..

Directs the Department of Health to report to the legislature by January 1, 2016, on the number of ambulatory surgical facilities; the number of patients treated in ambulatory surgical facilities; the number of ambulatory surgical facilities that are not medicare-certified; and the number of ambulatory surgical facilities that are accredited. Prohibits the Department of Health from increasing initial licensing and renewal fees on ambulatory surgical facilities in the 2015-17 biennium.

Provides funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to award grants to community or technical colleges or regional universities for student services, peer support services, or other services consistent with the Partners for Veteran Supportive Campuses program.

Provides $400,000 to the Climate Impact Group at the University of Washington.

Reduces funding for the Department of Licensing to implement Initiative 594 (gun sales background checks).

Prohibits the Medical Assistance program in the Health Care Authority and the Reproductive Health and Wellness program in the Department of Health from providing funding to Planned Parenthood and paying for abortions that are not deemed medically necessary by the patient's primary care physician.

Eliminates $9.8 million General Fund-State in the Criminal Justice Training Commission that is provided solely for a grant to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and repurposes these funds to increase funding for the Officer Replacement program and the Major Crimes Task Force.

Requires the Office of Homeless Youth to identify characteristics of the homeless youth population ages birth to ten.

Allows unspent funds in the State Universal Communications Services Account to be carried over to subsequent years.

Provides funding for a nonprofit organization to integrate science standards with outdoor field studies and project and work-based learning opportunities.

Assumes the passage of ESSB 5954 (college affordability program). Reduces tuition for resident undergraduate students to a percentage of the state average wage. Aligns state financial aid programs to mirror the changes in tuition rates. Provides additional funding to offset the loss of tuition revenue to institutions that results from the reduction in tuition rates.

House version of the 2015-17 biennial state budget.