Lawmakers return to Olympia today as the Washington State Legislature convenes its 2025 session. A state budget deficit is among the challenges confronting the 69th Legislature, which has experienced a 44 percent turnover since 2020.
Washington State University’s top priority for this session is a fully-funded cost-of-living adjustment for faculty and staff and full funding for collective bargaining agreements, including an agreement partially funded last year for academic student employees. The university is also seeking funds for accreditation efforts in the College of Medicine and ongoing funding for the Native Coug Scholars program.
To address a growing deferred maintenance backlog, WSU is seeking funds from the state’s capital budget for minor works projects. The university is also seeking funds to demo Heald Hall in Pullman and begin designs for a replacement, build a Team Health Education building in Spokane, design a new animal disease testing facility in Puyallup, among other systemwide projects. WSU’s request includes leveraging philanthropic giving with state investment for a new plant growth facility in Wenatchee.
You can read more information about WSU’s legislative priorities here.
Beyond the budgets, policymakers have spent the last month prefiling a slate of hopeful bills. Among them is SB 5158, introduced by Sen. Javier Valdez, which would allow WSU and the other public colleges and universities to pay premiums associated with medical insurance for intercollegiate student athletes. This would help WSU save on the cost of medical expenses that it covers for its athletes.
The WSU Office of State Relations will monitor proceedings over the next 105 days, when the Legislature hopes to adjourn Sine Die on the 2025 legislative session.