House passes two-year $44.9 billion state budget

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The House has passed a two-year $44.9 billion state budget that seeks to spend an additional $1.9 billion on education to address a court mandate on education funding.

The spending plan passed the Democratic-controlled chamber on a 50-48 vote Friday. The chamber did not vote on the $3 billion in taxes they are seeking, including a new capital gains tax. Those bills will get a public hearing early next week.

Senate Republicans passed their own proposal out of that chamber last week that relies on a plan that raises property taxes for some districts while lowering the tax in others. Both chambers must now begin the work of negotiating a final compromise that must satisfy a state Supreme Court mandate on education funding.