Government and Politics

Washington Ledge

Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Washington Legislature. Austin Jenkins is the Olympia correspondent for the Northwest News Network. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) weekly public affairs program "Inside Olympia."

Inslee Calls Second Special Session Of Washington Legislature

NWNews | By Austin Jenkins

Published May 28, 2015 at 5:51 PM PDT

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has announced a second 30-day special session of the Washington legislature beginning Friday, May 29.

As promised, Washington Governor Jay Inslee has called an immediate second special session of the legislature. It begins Friday.

The first 30-day overtime session ended Thursday with no bipartisan budget deal. Inslee said starting next week he will convene budget negotiation sessions in his office.

“I just want legislators to understand they need to get down to brass tacks and make real movement at this table starting Monday at 10 a.m. and they need get that job done,” Inslee said. “They can’t wait until June 28. That is unacceptable to me.”

Inslee said another month of budget gridlock would force costly preparations for a government shutdown. As it is, letters will go out Friday to 17 state employee unions warning of temporary layoffs if there’s no budget by July 1.