As state legislators debate the fate of bills on the House and Senate Floor this week through Wednesday’s cut-off, dark clouds loom as rapid changes on the federal level create another level of uncertainty. 

Federal Cuts Will Likely Complicate the State Budget Process
Washington State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) said last week that cuts being considered and occurring on the federal level likely will have an impact on the state budget, possibly requiring a special session to address. For example, there are fears that federal funding for Medicaid, known as Apple Health to the nearly 1.9 million Washingtonians covered by it, could be slashed by a third. Other potential federal cuts to food assistance and federal services (see story below), might also increase the burden on the state budget–at a time when the state is confronted with a large gap between budget needs and revenue.

Washington 211 Annual Report Identifies Housing as Top Need
Of the over 340,000 calls for help handled by Washington 211 call specialists last year, nearly 44 percent were because of a need for housing, according to its recent annual report. This demand for housing help is consistent with previous years. Second greatest need (at 12 percent) was help with community services. Washington 211 is seeking state funding of $2.5 million a year to be able to continue to handle calls to the universal 211 line and provide referrals to services (over 750,000 last year).

Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day (HHAD) Friday
You are invited to join us at the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance lobby day in Olympia this Friday, March 14. Here’s information and registration on this important lobby day.

Action Alert for Federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program
We sent an action alert out last week calling on supporters of the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) to urge Congress to reverse the indefinite funding pause of this program that provides support for those experiencing or at risk of experiencing hunger and homelessness. Over the last year alone in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, federal funding provided over $5.4 million to critical food programs for our state’s neediest families, neighbors, and communities. Please use this link to ask your Congress Members to restore critical funding for EFSP.