Legislator looks to extended special session

Evan Smith

By Evan Smith​

Democratic State Rep. Ruth Kagi anticipates that the legislature may need to work beyond the scheduled 30-day special session that started last week.

Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee called the legislature into special session after the Republican-controlled State Senate and Democratic-controlled House of Representatives couldn't agree, during the 105-day regular session that ended April 23, on a two-year state budget, including how to pay for full state financial support for basic public education as ordered by the State Supreme Court, and what taxes will be required.

Kagi said April 22 that "sadly" the legislature may need more than one special session to complete its work.

Kagi was in the legislature two years ago when legislators went into a third special session, finally completing a budget just before the June 30 deadline to avoid a state-government shutdown and working into July to pass bills needed to implement that budget.

When this year's special session started April 24, Kagi said that this year's​ session could bring a repeat of that.

Kagi represents the 32nd Legislative District, including the city of Shoreline and part of northwest Seattle, Lynnwood, parts of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace, along with Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County.

She is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, chairwoman of the House committee on early learning and social services and a member of the House Environment Committee.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com