Senate adopts conference report and passes supplemental operating budget (SSB 5,998)

The Washington State Senate on March 12, 2026, adopted the conference committee report and passed engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5,998, a supplemental operating budget the majority described as a negotiated compromise to protect health care, long‑term care, behavioral health and K‑12 funding.

Senator Pam Robinson, who moved adoption of the conference committee report, told colleagues the budget was the product of extensive work between the House and Senate. "This operating budget supports every state agency," Robinson said, and it was the Legislature's "best effort at this time to respond to the challenging challenges before us." She urged concurrence on the report.

Opponents pressed fiscal concerns. "This particular budget proposes $230,000,000 to provide a tax credit … some of which earn north of $100,000 per year," Senator Gildan said, arguing that was not a good use of public funds. Gildan also highlighted $45,000,000 in projected savings from moving some Medicaid cases to a fee‑for‑service model, $26,000,000 in retroactive raises for state employees, and the use of $880,000,000 from the budget stabilization account; he warned the budget could be "underwater by $878,000,000" by 2028.

Supporters framed the package as protecting services in a difficult revenue environment and credited bipartisan staff and caucus work. After debate the Senate adopted the conference committee report and proceeded to final passage. The secretary reported the roll call tally as 28 yea and 21 nay; the presiding officer declared SSB 5,998 passed and ordered the title to be the title of the act.

The bill will proceed under the normal enrollment and enactment process; the Senate record shows it passed with a constitutional majority on final passage.