The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted its operating budget out of committee today and, as expected, the Senate’s budget does not include funding for our DOC contract.

This was not a surprise and it is by no means the end of the road.

While the Senate leadership has demonstrated that it is not on our side, both the House and the Governor have already released their respective budgets and both contain funding for our contract.

In the coming weeks, the legislature will convene budget negotiations. Representatives from the House, Senate, and Governor’s office will sit down and hash out a final budget.

This is the most critical part of the process. That’s why we need to keep the pressure on the legislature so that lawmakers make funding our contract a priority.

Please contact the legislative hotline in Olympia at 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators to fund our DOC contract. Your calls our vitally important. Be sure to thank our supporters for their support!