2015-2017 Biennial Budget Proposal Comparison
Governor Inslee, the State House of Representatives and the State Senate have all released their 2015-2017 biennial
budget proposals, which cover July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017. Each branch of government introduces a budget. Now
that they have been introduced, the House and Senate each hold hearings on their proposals and ultimately pass a
version of the budget. The House passed their version on March 31 and the Senate passed their budget on April 6.
Now they will work to reconcile the differences between their proposals and negotiate a final budget that all three
bodies agree to pass. The information below highlights the differences and similarities between the budget proposals.
BASIC NEEDS
The Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program provides assistance with housing and essential needs, such as health
and hygiene products, to very low-income adults who have a disability that temporarily prevents them from working.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
The Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) program provides a $197 monthly cash grant to low-income elderly and
disabled adults who are waiting to transfer to the federal Supplemental Security Income program. A small number of
disabled and elderly immigrants who are not yet eligible for the federal Supplemental Security Income and Social
Security programs also receive assistance through the ABD program. Recipients use their cash grant to pay for housing
and meet their basic needs.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Preserves funding at current levels for ABD.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assists parents with incomes so low they cannot meet basic
needs for themselves and dependent children. During the last several legislative sessions, this program has been cut by
over $600 million, and now the TANF cash grant is worth just 31% of the Federal Poverty Level. These cuts have
narrowed TANF eligibility and have resulted in a caseload decline and a projected underspend for the next biennium,
despite increased poverty and need in the community. Any TANF underspend should be used to restore cuts made
during the past several years, not used to fund other programs in the budget.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment; neither restores nor cuts grant. The Governor’s budget
proposal doesn’t address any underspend.
House Democrats’ Proposal: The House matched the Governor’s budget in that it neither restored nor
significantly cut the TANF grant. Funding is eliminated for the WorkFirst Participation Incentive, which was to
provide $55 per month to WorkFirst households that participation fully in the activities included in the
individual responsibility plan (IRP). The Economic Services Administration has not implemented the incentive
payment, and likely won’t at this point in time, resulting in $16 million in savings. Additionally, the House
proposes to invest some of the $80 million in underspend back into TANF programs, by making these five
investments:
(1) $8.4 million into the earned income disregard, changing it to 75% disregard from 50% disregard. This
means recipients can earn a bit more income and still qualify for support.
2015-2017 Biennial Budget Proposal Comparison
(2) Provides an additional $600,000 from the state’s General Fund to DSHS Economic Service
Administration for a 75% unearned income disregard for caregivers when determining TANF benefits
and eligibility for a child, other than a foster child, who lives with a caregiver other than his or her
parent.
(3) $29.2 million for TANF recipients to receive 24 months of education, instead of just 12 months.
(4) $8.4 million is provided to reinstate a child support pass-through TANF. As a result of the pass-through,
a family with one child can retain up to $100 a month of child support collections, or up to $200 for a
family with two or more children.
(5) Funds $16.46 million to provide rapid rehousing services to TANF families.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: The Senate version of the budget significantly cuts TANF. The Senate
proposal transfers the $80 million underspend to the General Fund, as well as makes an additional
approximately$40 million in cuts to TANF. In addition to eliminating the WorkFirst Participation Incentive, the
Senate budget proposed the following cuts:
(1) $1.7 million cut by limiting Additional Requirements for Emergent Need (AREN) to $750 in a lifetime,
from $750 in a year, preventing very low-income families from receiving financial support in
emergencies if they’ve used this resource before.
(2) $3 million cut by limiting WorkFirst exemptions.
(3) $9.7 million cut by eliminating 67 full time jobs in DSHS.
(4) Shifts $25 million from TANF to cover eligibility determination gap caused by Medicaid switch.
The State Family Assistance program provides cash assistance to low-income immigrant families with children who do
not yet qualify for the federal TANF program.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
The Working Connection Child Care (WCCC) program provides subsidized child care to low-income families whose
incomes are below 200% of the federal poverty level. WCCC is a critical support that helps low-income parents
access and afford child care so they can enter and make gains in the workforce.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Funding is provided for additional child care subsidies. The house invests $34
million to subsidize child care for 12 months for families currently eligible.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: The Senate budget cuts $8 million from this program by reducing the
amount dedicated to child support enforcement. This means that any WCCC recipient and applicants will no
longer get DSHS support in tracking down previously owed child support payments.
Final Budget: To be determined.
The State Food Assistance program helps immigrant families and individuals avoid hunger by providing subsidies to
help purchase food. Immigrants are not eligible for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP –
formerly called Food Stamps) until they have been in the U.S. for five years.
2015-2017 Biennial Budget Proposal Comparison
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains funding at current levels, 25% less than federal food stamps.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Increased the State Food Assistance benefit from 75% to 100% of the SNAP
benefit, re-investing $9.6 million.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains funding at current levels, 25% less than federal food stamps.
Final Budget: To be determined.
The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is the main source of funding for affordable housing in our state. This housing makes it
possible for people living on low incomes to afford housing and still have enough money to cover other basic needs.
Investments in the HTF have created thousands of jobs and have generated millions in state and local tax revenues. To
date, the Housing Trust Fund has successfully built, rehabilitated, and preserved more than 40,000 healthy and
affordable homes across the state.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: The Governor proposed $100 million for affordable housing with $85 million for
affordable housing construction.
House Democrats’ Proposal: The House budget included $110.2 million for affordable housing with $80 million
going to the Housing Trust Fund.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: The Senate budget includes $87.8 million for affordable housing with $65
million going to the Housing Trust Fund.
Final Budget: To be determined.
HEALTH CARE
Under federal health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, states had the option to expand Medicaid. By choosing to
adopt the Medicaid expansion in 2013, our state is now working to provide healthcare to all Washingtonians with
incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level. Since expansion, a record number of Washingtonians have signed
up for this critical health care program.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Invests $3.53 million into customer service and processing at the WA Health
Exchange in order to accommodate higher than expected Medicaid enrollment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Invests $5 million into customer service and processing at the WA Health Exchange
in order to accommodate higher than expected Medicaid enrollment.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: The Senate does not invest in customer service to accommodate higher than
expected Medicaid enrollment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
Medicaid’s Adult Dental coverage is an optional Medicaid program that had been eliminated for nearly all adult
Medicaid recipients in recent years. In 2013, the legislature restored funding to Adult Dental, which ensured that the
people who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the expansion could also access adult dental coverage at no cost
to the state. Unfortunately, there are still many adults going without the care they need, including disabled, senior
immigrants.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Adult Dental recipients will benefit from customer service investments listed above.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Adult Dental recipients will benefit from customer service investments listed above.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
2015-2017 Biennial Budget Proposal Comparison
The Apple Health for Kids program provides health care for children from families earning up to 300% of the
Federal Poverty Level, regardless of citizenship status.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Maintains current investment.
Final Budget: To be determined.
Mental Health is better known as the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. They provide direct care or contract
out care through mental health programs. Services are provided for people who are Medicaid-eligible. They also
manage involuntary treatment services and ensure that services are provided to those with serious mental illnesses.
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Makes several investments, including $24.7 million to prevent boarding of patients in
medical hospitals, $16.5 million to expend intensive services to high-needs youth, and $16.3 million to add 60
new beds at Western State Hospital and 5 beds at Eastern State Hospital.
House Democrats’ Proposal: Makes several investments, including $27 million for competency restoration beds at
Western State Hospital (45 beds) and Eastern State hospital (15 beds), $16.8 million to enhance community
resources related involuntary treatment, $42.6 million for evaluation and treatment beds at Western State
Hospital and other community hospitals or evaluation and treatment centers, and $26.1 million for mental
health/chemical dependency services to accommodate increased caseload from Medicaid expansion.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Makes several investments, including $42.6 million for community hospital
and freestanding evaluation and treatment beds and 30 beds at Western State Hospital, $29.8 million for 45
competency restoration beds at Western State Hospital (45 beds) and Eastern State Hospital (15 beds), $10.9
million for community resources related to involuntary treatment services, and $7.3 million to address
workplace safety concerns at the state hospitals.
Final Budget: To be determined.
REVENUE
Governor Inslee’s Proposal: Governor Inslee proposes $1.4 billion in new revenue for the coming biennium by
adopting a capital gains tax, closing tax breaks for out-of-state shoppers, oil refineries, and other products
and industries, dedicating revenue from a proposed carbon reduction plan, and increasing taxes on cigarettes
and e-cigarettes.
House Democrats’ Proposal: The House proposes $1.49 billion in new revenue for the coming biennium by
adopting a capital gains tax, closing tax breaks for out-of-state shoppers, oil refineries, and other products
and industries, and increasing the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax for personal and professional services.
Senate Majority Coalition’s Proposal: Instead of raising new revenue like the Governor and House propose, the
Senate balances the budget on unspecified savings and transfers from other funds. The Senate budget also
proposes to use $114 million in state funds on new or re-enacted tax breaks for industry.
Final Budget: To be determined.