The state Legislature concluded its brief yet consequential 2024 legislative session on Thursday afternoon, adopting an austere operating budget while approving notable policies relating to financial aid, opioid prevention on college campuses, and student athlete name, image, and likeness.
As is custom, gavels in each chamber fell simultaneously as the Legislature adjourned “sine die,” Olympia parlance and Latin referencing the closing of a session “without day” set for reconvening.
Agreements on supplemental operating and capital budgets reached by Senate and House budget writers on Wednesday and passed out of the respective chambers on Thursday prior to adjournment. The budgets now await action from the governor. The operating budget most notably would provide WSU $2.5 million in one-time funds to partially cover costs associated with a first-ever collective bargaining agreement reached with academic student employees in January. You can read about what else the operating and capital budgets provided for WSU here.
Lawmakers introduced 1,192 bills in this short session. Among them was WSU-backed legislation to support student athletes in navigating name, image, and likeness opportunities. Senate Bill 5913 was advanced with bipartisan support from the Legislature this session to the governor’s desk. If signed, the bill clarifies state ethics law that certain public university employees in Washington are not prohibited from using public resources to advise, facilitate, acknowledge, or educate about NIL and student athletes seeking to benefit from it so long as those resources are within the discretion of the employee.
The Legislature also passed legislation to increase the amount of time a student is eligible to receive the Washington College Grant from 125 percent or five years of an academic program to 150 percent or six years. This aligns the eligibility period for the state’s financial aid program with the federal Pell grant program. Lawmakers also passed a bill to provide opioid and fentanyl prevention training and resources on college campuses. Both of these bills are awaiting action by the governor.
Three gubernatorial appointments to the WSU Board of Regents were also confirmed this legislative session, as the state Senate voted unanimously to confirm the reappointments of WSU Regents Dickinson and Picha and the appointment of student Regent Marroquin.
As the Legislature drew to a close this week, a slew of legislators announced that this would be their final legislative session. Among these are three prominent WSU alums, Sen. Sam Hunt of Olympia (WSU Pullman, Class of 1970), Sen. Kevin Van Wege of Sequim (WSU Distance Degree Programs, now WSU Global, Class of 2002), Rep. JT Wilcox of Yelm (WSU Pullman, Class of 1985). It also notably included the Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane and Sen. Lynda Wilson of Vancouver.
The next legislative session is set to begin on January 13th, 2025, which follows elections in November.