Legislative Update.

length: 105 days. If necessary, the Governor can call for a 30-day special session. Legislators can call themselves into special session with a two-thirds vote. Next Cutoff: April 3, Last day to read in committee reports from opposite house exept House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees. Information: • For up-to-date legislative information, visit: www.leg.wa.gov • To watch or listen to a legislative hearing, visit: www.tvw.org • For both current and previous copies of the Legislative Update, visit: www.psp.wa.gov Communication and Coordination: If you are planning to testify on a bill, meet with legislators, or would like assistance with state legislative issues regarding Puget Sound priorities— please contact: March 15, 2013 | Day 61 of the 105-day legislative session The Legislative Update is a frequent report distributed throughout the legislative session. Each edition includes an update of legislative activities, as well as a list of specific legislative meetings of interest to the Partnership and our partners. Copies of bills can be found on the Legislature's website at www.leg.wa.gov. All is quiet … for a moment. Floor action and the intense debates in the House and Senate ended this week, with Wednesday's deadline to advance all policy bills from their place of origin. House bills had to move to the Senate and vice versa, or be considered " dead. " Attention now turns to the budget, where the gap between costs and revenue appears to be even more significant. Budget shortfall swells with increasing demand for services and declining revenues The " caseload " forecast was presented on Thursday and predicted an increase in the number of people using state services, costing $360 million more than previously expected. The Caseload Forecast Council tracks trends in K-12 school enrollment, prison population, welfare rolls, and several state-paid medical programs. The most significant cost driver was the increase in the number of low-income people enrolled in Medicaid programs being much higher than previously calculated. We will see the " revenue " forecast next Wednesday, which is anticipated to bring more bad news. Both forecasts could cost an additional $500 million, swelling the state budget shortfall to approximately $1.5 billion, and increasing pressure to raise taxes and using dedicated funds to balance the budget. Soon after the revenue forecast, we expect to see budget plans from both the " Majority Coalition Caucus " in the Senate and Gov. Inslee. House Republican …