(The Center Square) – Republicans in the Washington State House of Representatives pushed back with all they had on Saturday, offering amendments and objections to majority Democrats’ supplemental operating budget.
But even with five Democrats crossing the aisle to vote with all Republicans in opposition to the budget, the majority party had more than enough votes to push it through the chamber, 52-41.
The nearly $80 billion spending plan adds $2 billion in new spending, and depends on billions in new taxes, and passage of an income tax opponents argue is unconstitutional.
The budget also relies on about $4 billion dollars from the LEOFF Plan 1 police and firefighter pension account and drains hundreds of millions from the state’s emergency rainy day fund.
“Gas prices are up. Grocery prices are up. Housing prices are up. And tonight’s answer? Grow government,” Rep. April Connors, R-Kennewick, said.
Among the numerous amendments offered by Republicans, was one from , R-Orting, to “ensure that children facing abuse, severe neglect, serious physical harm, or exposure to high-potency synthetic opioids or other illicit substances are removed from dangerous environments,” according to the amendment summary.
The amendment was offered because Republicans were unable to get Democrats to advance bills to address the alarming number of children under state supervision dying or suffering near fatal incidents in homes with drug addicted parents.
“The Keeping Families Together Act is a drain on this budget; $42.9 million is budgeted to come out of DCYF coffers in lawsuits related to dead children,” Penner said.
Passed in 2021 and effective July 2023, the Keeping Families Together Act was intended to reduce foster care placements and racial disproportionality by raising the legal standard for removing children from homes. The presence of hard drugs in the home is not considered imminent harm and many of the children who have died or nearly died have been exposed to fentanyl and meth.
Through the first nine months of 2025, there were 57 critical incidents – deaths and near-deaths – within the child welfare system. More than half of those were linked to opioids.
Several Republican members tearfully read from child fatality reports and shared their own experiences while urging Democrats to adopt the amendment.
“I think that Washington state is so messed up in our priorities … if I could, I would take all of them if CPS was overwhelmed with their caseload and they don’t have enough staff … it’s incredibly irresponsible to not make this a top priority,” a tearful Rep. Stephanie Barnard, R-Kennewick, said.
Rep. Michelle Valdez, R-Gig Harbor, also wiped tears as she shared her own tortured childhood experience involving the foster care system, telling members the system that is supposed to protect children often gets it wrong.
“In fifth grade, I got my first black eye from him,” said Valdez of her stepfather. “And you know what the state did? They had him sign a piece of paper that he wouldn’t hit me again.”
The abuse continued, she said, including sexual abuse for several years, even as the state was involved.
“They provided services to us. We got a lot of counseling, and I would tell them, ‘He’s still hitting me.’ There are some people and some families where the services don’t help,” she said.
Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, talked about a 5-year-old boy under state supervision who died a year ago after being placed back into the home of his drug-addicted parents. She read from a statement provided by the child’s aunt, who had custody of him until the state returned him to his parents.
“Anyone who went into that home and saw his living conditions is part of the problem,” Jacobsen read from the aunt’s statement.
Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, rose in opposition to the amendment.
“We are not ignoring the issue,” he said. “We are trying to make sure we are funding significant programs. Making sure we are trying to help families. And caring for the promise of a good robust discussion in the interim to work even harder on this issue.”
Democratic leadership has argued that the “imminent harm” standard is not the sole reason for child deaths. Data from DCYF has been used to argue that the rise in deaths is a broader public health issue rather than a direct result of the Keeping Families Together Act.
The last to speak in support of the amendment was Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, who has passionately pushed the issue of DCYF failures for several years. In a raised and at times quivering voice, he begged majority Democrats to fix the broken system.
“If there’s fentanyl in the home, it is a danger. And it’s against the law. And we want to say provide a lockbox in that parents’ home so that after they’ve abused their fentanyl, hopefully, just maybe, they will remember to lock the fentanyl up in a lockbox after they’re done crapping their pants and overdosing and urinating on themselves and puking on the floor,” he said.
“This subject makes me want to crawl out of my own skin, and we don’t have any more time. I predicted every single session since I’ve been here how many more babies and toddlers would die or nearly die.”
When time came to vote on Penner’s amendment, seven Democrats joined every Republican in support, but it was not enough for the amendment to be adopted.
The Democrats who voted with Republicans were Rep. Mari Leavitt, D-University Place, Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, Rep. Adison Richards, D-Gig Harbor, Rep. Joe Timmons, D-Bellingham, and Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Oak Harbor.
The Senate previously passed its own supplemental budget.
Both the House and the Senate will meet in negotiations this week to reconcile the two budgets. They’ll send a final version to the governor before the end of next week.
Transportation and capital budget have also been approved with bipartisan support. Those also go to the governor’s desk.
The session concludes March 12.
