Legislative Relations
Washington state has a two-year budget, which is made up of three spending areas:
- Capital budget pays for buying and maintaining public buildings and lands.
- Transportation budget pays for projects that help ensure our roads and public transportation systems move goods and people effectively throughout the state.
- Operating budget pays for day-to-day operations for the state, such as public education, public safety, human services and higher education.
Information on how the state budget is created
- Legislative Evaluation & Accountability Program Committee (LEAP) - click on "Citizen’s Guide to the Budget." You can also find proposed and final state budgets.
- Office of Financial Management (OFM) has information about Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget priorities.
DCYF’s work is funded with state, federal and private dollars.
2020 Legislative Session Updates
September 22, 2020
Budget and Policy Submitted Proposals Webinar
June 3, 2020
Budget Webinar
May 20, 2020
Budget Update Webinar
March 2, 2020
Legislative Update Webinar
- Play recording (55 min) | Password: yJgEmhv5
- Webinar Slides
January 8, 2020
Governors 2020 Supplemental Budget Proposal Webinar
- Play recording (53 mins) | Password: dEJXU9qk
- Webinar Slides
2019 Legislative Session Updates
December 9, 2019
Vendor Reimbursement Rate Increase Process Webinar
- Play Recording (1 hr 6 min) | Password: 7eMTcPAU
- Webinar Slides
October, 11, 2019
DCYF Legislative Update Webinar
- Play Recording (1hr 1min) | Password: 2MpjPP56
- Webinar Slides
August 9, 2019
DCYF Legislative Update Webinar
- Play Recording (48 min) | Password: SuQd2a7w
- Webinar Slides
May 10, 2019
DCYF 2019 Legislative Session Recap
- Play Recording (44 min) | Password: XnK5jiwe
- Webinar Slides
April 5, 2019
DCYF Stakeholder Legislative Update
- Play Recording (53 min) | Password: 9pRqQYg3
DCYF 2019-2021 Biennial Budget Request
Secretary Ross Hunter submitted the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) biennial budget for 2019-2021 to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) on September 17, 2018. Read Secretary Hunter's DCYF submission letter and the decision packages listed below.
DCYF 2019-2021 Decision Packages
- ML -FL Food and Medical Inflation
- ML-AB Critical Infrastructure Maintenance
- ML-TC Technical Corrections
- ML-AC Assessment of Campus Infrastructure
- ML-PP Property Insurance Premiums
- ML-NW DCYF Network Infrastructure
- ML-AD Facilities One Time Costs
- ML-MF Maintain Safe and Secure Facilities
- ML-MW Mandatory Workload
- ML-AE Lease Adjustments
- ML-EG Acute Mental Health Staffing
- ML-PS Meet Statutory Preschool Enrollment
- ML-XF Transer JR, WCCC and ESIT Funds
- ML-RC Reduce Individual SW Caseloads
- ML-EA Meet Statutory Quality Deadlines
- PL-RS Reduce Assault in Juvenile Facilities
- PL-AR Review Background Check Results
- PL-FS Fully Fund Safety and Security Need
- PL-BH Address Behavioral Health Needs
- PL-TD Increase Training and Development Program
- PL-PC Implement Performance-Based Contracting
- PL-DW Build an Integrated Data Warehouse
- PL-CA Increase Infant Toddler CC Access
- GP- Extend CC Grace Period for Homeless
- EP - Preserve the ECLIPSE Program
- TE - Pilot Therapeutic ECEAP Services
- RR - Recruit and Retain Foster Parents
- CW - Modernize Child Welfare Info System
- QA - Implement Quality Assurance Program
- EH - Expand Home Visiting Services
- TA - Prepare FC Teens for Adulthood
- ED - Re-Engage Youth in Education
- BR - Increase BRS Rates & Bed Capacity
- SN - Build a Safety Net for Re-Entry
- FF - Comply with Family First Act
- SF - Strengthen Families Locally
- SR - Increase Child Care Subsidy Rates
- KB - Increase Child Welfare Litigation Res
- VR - Increase Vendor Rates
- BG - SEIU Bargained Training
- LC - Promote Licensed Child Care
- MM - Align & Coordinate CC Monitoring
- TOPL - Current Biennium Base
- CF - 8L Lease Adjustment
- CF - 92E Legal Services
DCYF 2018 Supplemental Budget Request
Maintenance requests:
- M1-MC: Mandatory Caseload Adjustment
- M1-TR: Adjust Tiered Reimbursement Funding
- M2-AF: Adjusting Federal Authority
- M2-BF: Backfill Title IV-E Waiver
- M2-CA: Compensation Adjustments
- M2-EA: Fully Fund Early Achievers
- M2-FC: Facilities One-Time Costs
- M2-HC: Transfer Homeless Child Care Program
- M2-LA: Leases over 20,000 Sq Ft
- M2-PH: Phase II of SHB 2106
- M2-SI: Upgrade DCYF Security Infrastructure
Policy requests:
- PL-A1: Prevent Harm to Children
- PL-A2: Create a Social Worker Mentorship Program
- PL-A3: Increase Placement Resources
- PL-A4: Develop ECEAP Support Capacity
- PL-A5: Improve Central Intake Response Times
- PL-A6: Increase Rates for Targeted Groups
- PL-A7: Sustain and Expand Home Visiting
- PL-A8: Promote Licensed Care
- PL-A9: Improve Parent-Child Visitation
- PL-B1: Coordinate Monitoring of Child Care Facilities
- PL-B2: Improve Child Safety in Care
- PL-B3: Fund Implementation of E2SHB 1777
- PL-B4: Increase BRS Rates
- PL-B5: Safeguard Vulnerable Children
- PL-B6: Create a New Service Array