Washington § 43.88.055 - Legislative balanced budget requirement.

(1) The legislature must adopt a four-year balanced budget as follows:

(a) Beginning in the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature shall enact a balanced omnibus operating appropriations bill that leaves, in total, a positive ending fund balance in the general fund and related funds.

(b) Beginning in the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the projected maintenance level of the omnibus appropriations bill enacted by the legislature shall not exceed the available fiscal resources for the next ensuing fiscal biennium.

(2) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Available fiscal resources" means the beginning general fund and related fund balances and any fiscal resources estimated for the general fund and related funds, adjusted for enacted legislation, and with forecasted revenues adjusted to the greater of (i) the official general fund and related funds revenue forecast for the ensuing biennium, or (ii) the official general fund and related funds forecast for the second fiscal year of the current fiscal biennium, increased by 4.5 percent for each fiscal year of the ensuing biennium. For the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the forecasted revenues shall be adjusted to be equal to the official general fund and related funds revenue forecast for the ensuing biennium. It is the intent of the legislature to continue this policy in the 2027-2029 and 2029-2031 fiscal biennia.

(b) "Projected maintenance level" means estimated appropriations necessary to maintain the continuing costs of program and service levels either funded in that appropriations bill or mandated by other state or federal law, and the amount of any general fund moneys projected to be transferred to the budget stabilization account pursuant to Article VII, section 12 of the state Constitution.

(c) "Related funds," as used in this section, means the Washington opportunity pathways account, the workforce education investment account, the fair start for kids account, and the education legacy trust account.

(3) Subsection (1)(a) and (b) of this section does not apply to an appropriations bill that makes net reductions in general fund and related funds appropriations and is enacted between July 1st and February 15th of any fiscal year.

(4) Subsection (1)(b) of this section does not apply in a fiscal biennium in which money is appropriated from the budget stabilization account pursuant to Article VII, section 12(d)(ii) of the state Constitution.

Effective date—2026 c 268: See note following RCW 28B.15.210.

Short title—Findings—Intent—Conflict with federal requirements—2021 c 199: See notes following RCW 43.216.770.

Effective date—2020 c 218: See note following RCW 43.88.030.