Governor’s capital budget funds WSU Vancouver Life Science Building design

Gov. Jay Inslee introduced a capital budget proposal Wednesday that fully funds WSU’s $4 million request to design the Life Sciences Building at WSU Vancouver.

The project was previously funded for pre-design in the 2017-19 biennium but was not funded for design in the 2019-21 capital budget approved by the Legislature this spring. Getting the project back on track is a top priority of the university in the 2020 legislative session. If funded for design, construction funding would be requested in the 2021 session.

The governor’s supplemental operating budget included $27.8 million to support increased caseloads for the Washington College Grant. It did not fund WSU’s $788,000 request to support the soil health research initiative. As a supplemental budget, it largely did not fund new policy initiatives in higher education.

The Legislature convenes for its 60-day session on Jan. 13.