News & Updates

The 2025 legislative session is already a third of the way through, with day 37 in progress. The session is scheduled to last 105-days and end on April 27.

This Friday, Feb. 21, marks the first major deadline of the session: the house-of-origin policy committee cutoff. Bills are first introduced in the appropriate policy committee (e.g., Higher Education & Workforce Development) in either the House of Representatives or Senate, their house of origin. If a bill does not pass out of its policy committee by the end of the day on Friday, it is considered dead unless necessary to implement the budget.

This first cutoff will narrow down the number of bills under consideration. The next deadline is the house-of-origin fiscal committee cutoff on Feb. 28, where bills will a fiscal impact on the budget must make it out of the appropriate fiscal committee (e.g., Appropriations) by that date or they will be considered dead.

To learn more about how a bill becomes law in Washington state, click here.

Keondra Rustan testifies before Senate committee as part of UW Regent appointment process

Keondra Rustan testified in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee last week as part of her confirmation process as a UW Regent. In her testimony, she shared that she is a first-generation student who will soon earn her Doctorate in Nursing Practice. With over 20 years of experience as a registered nurse, she is a passionate advocate for advancing healthcare for all, particularly within marginalized communities. She also has a great love and commitment for community service having worked with mobile clinics, food banks, and street medicine.

Rustan views her role as Student Regent as crucial to ensuring that the voices of students are heard and represented at the highest level of the University’s governance. She aims to serve as a bridge between administration, the student body, and the broader community. She advocates for policies and initiatives that enhance the student experience and foster a safe, holistic environment that supports wellbeing.

She is honored to serve on the UW Board of Regents and is committed to promoting cohesion and inclusion within the Husky community. The committee voted to approve her appointment to the Board of Regents, and her appointment will now move to the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate.

UW College of Engineering lobbies for funding to advance statewide climate action and resilience

Stephanie Harrington, Guillaume Mauger, and Jason Vogel from the College of the Environment met with lawmakers to advocate for the University of Washington’s request to increase capacity for statewide climate action and solutions. With additional state support, the Climate Impacts Group and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist aim to advance climate action programs, engage frontline communities, collaborate with policymakers, provide technical expertise, and strategically communicate about climate change.

The Climate Impacts Group partners with planners, natural resource managers, engineers, policymakers, and community members across Washington to better understand how climate change impacts lives and livelihoods. The Office of the Washington State Climatologist, which is housed at the UW, is the go-to-source for climate information and data and their work on drought response, heat waves, and flooding has provided critical information to lawmakers and Washington sectors, including utilities, agriculture, and forestry.

Climate change affects many aspects of life in Washington, making it necessary to facilitate more on-the-ground climate adaption through sustained engagement with communities and decision makers.

It’s day 26 of the 105-day legislative session.

David Schumacher moves forward in Senate confirmation process for UW Board of Regents

David Schumacher was appointed by former Governor Jay Inslee to serve on the UW Board of Regents. His appointment is now subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

As the first step in the Senate confirmation process, Schumacher testified before the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee to encourage them to support his confirmation. In his testimony, he shared that he is a native of Washington and Seattle, and that attending the UW was always his goal for higher education. As a first-generation college student, Schumacher went on to earn two degrees from the UW and viewed his time there as a foundational part of his life. After graduating, he took a summer internship in Olympia, where he ultimately worked for 35 years. He spent 15 years staffing the Senate Ways & Means Committee and later served as the budget director for former Governor Inslee.

Schumacher concluded his testimony by expressing that being appointed to the UW Board of Regents is a dream come true, and he feels deeply honored to serve the University.

Following his testimony, Committee Chair T’wina Nobles expressed her and her colleagues’ gratitude for Schumacher’s service and their enthusiasm to support his appointment. The committee voted unanimously in favor of his appointment, which will now move to the Senate floor for consideration and a vote by the entire body.

UW Bothell Chancellor advocates for expanding STEM programs and student support services

UW Bothell Chancellor Kristin Esterberg visited Olympia to advocate for state funding to support campus growth in high-demand STEM programs and student services. In response to increasing demand from students and local employers who need a skilled workforce, the campus aims to expand enrollment in emerging technology fields like artificial intelligence, computer science, data visualization, data science, and data analytics. State appropriations will allow UW Bothell add 108 degrees annually by fiscal year 2028.

Additionally, UW Bothell is seeking funding to enhance student support services, which are fundamental to student academic success and wellbeing. The campus proposes expanding on-campus mental health services and adding five new behavioral health provider positions, addressing both student needs and the state’s behavioral health workforce shortage.

These investments are key to sustaining UW Bothell’s commitment to providing an innovative, supportive educational environment for its students and providing the surrounding community with a local and skilled workforce.

*Picture: UWB Chancellor Kristin Esterberg, Rep. Osman Salahuddin, Ryan McIrvin

UW seeks state support to boost computer science degree production

Magdalena Balazinska, UW Bill & Melinda Gates Chair of Computer Science & Engineering, and Ed Lazowska, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair Emeritus, visited Olympia this week to champion the University’s request to fund an additional 340 enrollments and 100 annual graduates in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, with a focus on prioritizing Washington residents and students from traditionally underserved communities.

This request is the third phase of a four-biennium plan to increase capacity at the Allen School by 400 annual degrees, responding to the extraordinary demand from student and employers.

The 2023 Washington State Higher Education & Labor Market Report forecasts an annual gap of more than 12,000 in the next decade between job openings in computer and information technology requiring a bachelor’s or graduate-level education and the number of graduates available to fill those roles. Increasing enrollment and graduates at the Allen School would help with this growing demand. Allen School graduates are already contributing to the state’s workforce, filling full-time positions at 139 companies across Washington.

Student demand for the Allen School also remains strong, with it being the most requested major among first-year and transfer applicants.

Notably, state funding for this request will be bolstered by internal and external investments in AI degree programs and research at the UW.

*Picture: Ed Lazowska, Sen. Vandana Slatter, Magdalena Balazinska

Critical deadline ahead: House-of-Origin policy cutoff is February 21

The house-of-origin policy cutoff is in exactly two weeks, on Friday, Feb. 21.

In order to become Washington state law, bills must follow a prescribed path. Legislation is first introduced in the appropriate policy committee (e.g., Higher Education & Workforce Development). If it passed out of the policy committee and impacts the state’s budget, it then moves to a fiscal committee (e.g., Appropriations). Afterwards, it proceeds to the Rules Committee, where a committee member must pull it for consideration by the entire body of the House of Representatives or Senate. If the bill advances through its chamber of origin, it follows the same process in the opposite chamber.

Throughout the process, there are designated cutoff dates for each step. If a bill does not make it through the process by specified cutoff dates, it is considered dead, unless its necessary to implement the budget (NTIB). Therefore, if bills are not voted out of their house-of-origin policy committee by Feb. 21, they will be dead unless they are NTIB.

The UW is tracking and engaging on a number of bills this session, some of which include:

• House Bill (HB) 1298 / Senate Bill (SB) 5158 concerns student athlete insurance.
• HB 1360 / SB 5451 concerns advancement of quantum economic development.
• HB 1394 / SB 5239 concerns retention of hospital medical records.
• HB 1557 / SB 5308 codifies the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Programs and requires student notifications.
• HB 1552 extends the fee on real estate broker licenses to fund the Washington center for real estate research and adjusting the fee to account for inflation.
• HB 1755 exempts elective percutaneous coronary intervention performed in certain hospitals owned or operated by a state entity from certificate need requirements.
• SB 5275 modifies funding and award levels for the passport to careers program and eligibility for the Washington College Grant.
• SB 5355 improves safety at institutions of higher education while supporting student survivors of sexual assault.
• SB 5658 concerns the workforce education investment account.

To find information about bills, visit the Washington State Legislature’s website.

Questions?

The Office of State Relations remains in Olympia throughout the session to advocate on behalf of the UW. For questions on the UW’s legislative priorities or advocacy efforts, please reach out to Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu.

It’s day 19 of the 2025 legislative session, which is scheduled to end on April 27.

UW seeks state support for foundational decarbonization projects on the Seattle campus

David Woodson, Executive Director of UW Campus Energy, Utilities & Operations, met with legislators on Tuesday to advocate for funding to support decarbonization projects on the UW Seattle campus. This funding request is part of the University’s capital budget priorities for the current legislative session. The UW has developed a comprehensive five-part strategy to decarbonize campus energy systems, ensuring compliance with the state’s Climate Commitment Act and Clean Building Performance Standards. The University is seeking $292.6 million from the Climate Commitment Account (CCA) to fund the first 10 projects outlined in the clean energy plan.

In mid-December, former Governor Jay Inslee released his capital budget proposal, which included $33 million for two of the UW’s requested energy renewal projects from the State Bond Account. However, most of the UW’s decarbonization projects were not funded due to a reduction in available CCA funds. The next carbon market auction, which supports the CCA, is scheduled for March, at which point legislators will have a clearer understanding of the availability of funds.

The UW’s energy systems have been in operation for more than a century, making the task of decarbonizing the campus a significant undertaking. While the requested funding is substantial, these 10 projects are crucial to achieving the University’s long-term sustainability goals.

During his meetings with legislators, David emphasized that as a public institution, the UW needs state support for its decarbonization efforts. He also stressed that these initial 10 projects are foundational to the University’s ongoing sustainability initiatives. He urged legislators to consider supporting the funding request, should resources become available.

UW Regents advocate for higher education funding during Olympia lobby day

Yesterday, UW Regents Leonor Fuller, Keondra Rustan, David Schumacher, and Blaine Tamaki, along with former Regent Herb Simon, traveled to Olympia for the College Promise Coalition’s lobby day. The coalition, which represents a diverse group of higher education stakeholders, met with legislators from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate to advocate for increased support for Washington’s higher education institutions and financial aid.

With the state facing a projected $10-12 billion budget deficit, the attendees carried an urgent message: investing in higher education is vital for the prosperity of Washington’s residents and economy. They emphasized the negative impact that further cuts to higher education institutions would have, especially considering that Washington’s institutions have yet to recover the funding lost during the Great Recession.

During lunch, they had the opportunity to connect with Sen. Drew Hansen, a strong advocate for higher education and the sponsor of the 2019 legislation that established the Workforce Education Investment Account (WEIA). This account supports many higher education priorities in Washington’s state budget. Sen. Hansen shared valuable insights and strategies for effectively communicating higher education priorities to fellow lawmakers. His enthusiasm for supporting higher education was evident as he engaged with attendees and responded to their questions.

Following the lunch, the attendees returned to meetings with lawmakers to continue reinforcing the importance of continued investment in the state’s education system.

The UW is fortunate to have such dedicated leaders championing higher education in Olympia, ensuring that the UW’s priorities—and those of the broader higher education community—are heard.

*Picture: Courtney Acitelli, UW Impact; UW Regent Leonor Fuller

Questions?

The Office of State Relations is in Olympia advocating on behalf of the UW. For questions about the UW’s legislative priorities or advocacy efforts, please reach out to Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu.

It’s day 12 of the 105-day 2025 legislative session.

UW College of Arts & Sciences advocates for $125M investment in chemical sciences facilities

Yesterday, UW College of Arts & Sciences Dean Dianne Harris, Chemistry Department Chair Munira Khalil, and UW Chemistry alumnus Bruce Montgomery met with capital budget leaders to advocate for the construction and modernization of chemical sciences facilities at UW Seattle. In their meeting with Rep. Mari Leavitt, they met a current UW student studying political science, who is also interning for Rep. Leavitt during session.

Chemistry is a core program at the UW and is required for students in most STEM and health sciences degree programs. Current facilities serve more than 6,000 students each quarter and house chemical sciences research that drives discoveries in fields such as AI, quantum computing, clean energy, and biology. Current facilities were built in 1937 and 1957 and no longer meet the needs of modern science education and research. New facilities are necessary to meet increasing course demand, boost STEM degree production and improve the workforce pipeline, foster partnerships with local employers, and attract and retain world-class faculty conducting cutting edge research.

The UW received $5 million in the last legislative session to design the project and is now asking the state to appropriate $125 million for its construction. Given the size of this request, it is the only building construction request on the University’s legislative agenda. This request was fully funded in former Governor Inslee’s proposed capital budget. In partnership with the state, the UW and its philanthropic partners will contribute approximately 55% of the total project cost.

Policy introductions and UW engagement

To date, more than 1,000 bills have been introduced this session, and the UW is actively monitoring and engaging on a number of them. Some include:

• Senate Bill (SB) 5158 / House Bill (HB) 1298 concerns student athlete insurance.
• SB 5275 modifies funding and award levels for the passport to careers program and eligibility for the Washington College Grant.
• SB 5308 codifies the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Programs and requires student notifications.
• SB 5355 improves safety at institutions of higher education while supporting student survivors of sexual assault.
• SB 5451 / HB 1360 concerning advancement of quantum economic development.

To find introduced legislation, visit the Washington State Legislature’s website.

Questions?

The Office of State Relations is in Olympia throughout the session advocating on behalf of the UW. For questions about the UW’s legislative priorities or advocacy efforts, please reach out to Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu.

It’s day three of the 2025 legislative session, which began Monday and is scheduled to run until April 27. Washington state operates on a two-year budget cycle, and during this session, lawmakers will decide the 2025-27 operating, capital, and transportation budgets.

President Cauce champions the UW in Olympia

Yesterday, UW President Ana Mari Cauce traveled to Olympia to meet with legislators about the University’s priorities. She met with leaders in both the House and Senate who are responsible for negotiating the operating and capital budgets, as well as with members of the higher education committees.

During these meetings, President Cauce emphasized the University’s top priority: 100% state funding for faculty and staff compensation. As a public institution, state support is critical to the operations of the UW and the success of students. Additional state funding for compensation would support the University’s ability to recruit and retain employees and admit more Washington first-year and transfer students to the Seattle campus.

President Cauce also discussed the UW’s capital budget requests to fund the construction and modernization of chemical sciences facilities in Seattle and campus decarbonization projects. Additionally, she inquired how the UW can best support legislators and be a strong partner throughout the legislative session and beyond.

UW testifies on the Governor Inslee’s budget proposals

The Office of State Relations serves as the primary liaison between the UW and state government, and is currently in Olympia advocating for the University’s legislative agenda.

Over the past few days, Joe Dacca, Director of the Office of State Relations, and Morgan Hickel, Associate Director, testified before the House and Senate fiscal committees on former Governor Inslee’s proposed operating and capital budgets. Given that Washington state is facing a $10-12 billion budget deficit, they expressed gratitude that the proposal largely maintains the UW’s base funding. However, they also encouraged investment in the University’s critical needs, particularly the compensation funding request.

On the capital budget, they were appreciative that the proposal fully funded the construction and modernization of the chemical sciences facilities in Seattle, and they requested funding for decarbonization projects in Seattle if Climate Commitment Account dollars become available.

To watch hearings, visit TVW.

Governor Ferguson sworn into office

Governor Bob Ferguson was officially sworn into office today. In his inaugural speech, Gov. Ferguson highlighted some of the challenges facing Washington, including affordability, public safety, and housing, but also his optimism to “make progress and increase opportunities for Washingtonians.” He emphasized that during his tenure he’ll be focused on bipartisanship and measurable goals. To read his full speech, click here.

Immediately after, Gov. Ferguson signed three executive orders on housing, reproductive freedom, and permit and licensing reform. The orders direct state agencies to take immediate action on these issues.

Questions?

The Office of State Relations will remain in Olympia throughout the session. For questions on the UW’s legislative priorities or advocacy efforts, please reach out to Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu.