May 5, 2025 | Session Day 106/105

What's happening?

That’s a wrap!

Sine die arrived on Sunday, April 27, marking the end of the 2025 regular session of the Legislature. The Latin phrase, commonly pronounced “sign-nee dye” in legislatures across the country, translates simply to “without day” – meaning there is no scheduled day for further action. The Legislature met their goal by approving the budget on sine die.

The final budgets were revealed that Saturday - the operating budget just before 10am for the conference committee to approve and the capital budget later at 5pm. Both received their final votes that Sunday. The operating budget was largely vote along party lines, with some Democrats crossing the aisle to reject the final proposal in the House. The capital budget was approved unanimously in both chambers.

For a detailed breakdown of our operating and capital budgets, please see this blog post.

Operating Budget

At SCC, we had mixed results in the operating budget. We maintained our Science Hub, gained a new tribal liaison position, and largely preserved our Conservation Technical Assistance program with only a slight reduction. However, we also saw a deeper cut to our Engineering Grants than we anticipated. We were also dismayed to see a steep cut to our Forest Health and Community Wildfire Resiliency program.

Last biennium, SCC received $15 million for conservation districts to support forest treatments, wildfire prevention and education, and regional planning. Conservation districts responded to that call to action, building out programs to serve their communities.

Next biennium, we will only receive $2.5 million to support these efforts. Both the Departments of Natural Resource and Fish and Wildlife also saw cuts to their wildfire programs. The impact to conservation districts and communities at risk of wildfire will be deeply felt.

Capital Budget 

The capital budget saw more success. SCC programs maintained previous funding levels or received additional funding.

• The Riparian Grant Program maintained a $25 million funding level with policy language that supports implementation.
• The Natural Resource Investments program gained an additional $1 million this biennium and the Irrigation Efficiencies program grew from $2.5M to $7M.
• SCC also received a $3 million investment in the Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative long-term strategy.

What's next?

Now we await the Governor’s action on the budget bills. Governor Ferguson has 20 days to review and sign the budgets, with a deadline of May 20. He could sign the budgets as they are, issue line-item vetoes on certain items, or veto the budget altogether and call the Legislature back to Olympia for a special session.

In the meantime, as we continue to evaluate opportunities and impacts for the next biennium, we are already starting to plan for the 2026 session, knowing that the supplemental budget is already expected to be highly constrained. In the interim, we will be supporting conservation districts in getting their legislators into the field so they can see the critical work that is empowering people to conserve and restore natural resources across the state.

This is our last newsletter for the 2025 legislative session.

I’m happy to receive any thoughts or feedback on our work and communications. Please reach out any time!

-Dani Madrone, Legislative Director

Legislative Headlines

• Washington lawmakers close out session, sending budgets to governor | Washington State Standard
• WA Legislature passes $78B budget, rent cap, gun permits as it adjourns | Seattle Times
• How bugs and beet juice could play roles in the race to replace artificial dyes in food | Seattle Times
• Legislature completes work on time as focus turns to governor | The Spokesman-Review
• New tax hikes, rent limits head to governor as Washington lawmakers end session | NW News Network
• WA lawmakers’ final day of 2025 legislative session | FOX 13
• Washington Legislature adjourns after passing tax hikes, rent cap | AXIOS
• Washington legislature ends 2025 legislative session by passing operating budget, other final legislation | KXLY TV
• WA lawmakers mourn a pair of deaths as session ends | The Center Square
• WA lawmakers honor late state senator: ‘Bill Ramos made Washington better’ | The News Tribune 
• Five tax bills lawmakers passed to underpin Washington’s next state budget | Washington State Standard

Read

Want to know what the current status of a bill? You can look up any bill by number on the legislative website.

Learn

Curious what SCC's main issues are this legislative session? Check out our latest legislative news!

Watch

Missed a committee meeting? Want to watch some live floor action? Check out TVW to watch legislative action. 

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Contact

Dani Madrone, Legislative Director dmadrone@scc.wa.gov | (564) 250-2677