SB 5166
In CommitteeSenate
Operating budget, supp.
Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
SB 5166 is Washington’s 2025–26 operating budget supplement, allocating over $400 million in new funding to strengthen courts, expand behavioral health and substance use services, support housing stability, and invest in higher education and research—including major funding for UW and other public universities. It prioritizes equity-focused initiatives like State v. Blake remedies, tribal partnerships, and youth mental health.
- Increases funding for court operations, including $764,000 annually for postconviction counsel, $7 million annually for truancy and at-risk youth case management, and $51.4 million in FY24 for State v. Blake-related refunds and legal services.
- Allocates over $200 million for behavioral health expansion, including $64.8 million for long-term inpatient capacity, $988,000 for regional mobile crisis teams, $6 million for opioid harm reduction, and $2.5 million for digital youth behavioral health services.
- Provides $80 million for University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center operations, plus $8 million for a statewide voting and elections data repository at the University of Washington.
- Expands legal aid for vulnerable populations, including $3.917 million for appointed counsel for children/youth in dependency cases, $2 million annually for domestic violence survivors, and $1 million for telephone consultation lines for parents at risk of DCYF removal.
- Supports tribal and rural initiatives, including $514,000 for a Tulalip Tribe residential treatment facility, $200,000 for a rural youth behavioral health pilot in Island County, and $15.4 million in opioid abatement funds for tribes and urban Indian health programs.
Who is affected
- People involved in the criminal legal system — Individuals involved in the criminal legal system, especially those impacted by the State v. Blake decision, receive expanded legal services, including public defense, postconviction counsel, and support for eligibility determinations and refunds.
- People experiencing homelessness or housing instability — People experiencing or at risk of homelessness—especially those with behavioral health or substance use disorders—gain access to expanded crisis response, mobile teams, long-term inpatient care, and supportive housing programs.
- Parents and caregivers at risk of DCYF involvement — Parents and families at risk of child welfare involvement receive legal representation, consultation services, and support through programs like 'parents for parents' and prefiling legal aid.
- Students and university communities — Students and faculty at Washington’s public universities receive funding for behavioral health training, research, and programs—including voting data infrastructure, Native American scholarships, and prison-to-university pathways.
- Tribal nations and urban Indian communities — Tribal nations and urban Indian health providers receive direct funding for residential treatment facilities, opioid response, and culturally specific services.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for concerns
Potential Benefits (5)
Supports critical safety-net hospital operations at Washington’s largest academic medical centers, helping maintain access to trauma, burn, and specialty care for all residents—including those on Medicaid or without insurance—though the bulk of operational benefit accrues to the health system and its employed providers.
HealthcareRef: Section: $80M for UW Medical Center and Harborview operationsInvests in election infrastructure and data transparency, supporting election administration efficiency and public trust; however, the primary beneficiaries are state and county election offices and researchers, not everyday voters directly.
Local GovernmentLean industryRef: Section: $8M for statewide voting and elections data repository at UWExpands telehealth and app-based mental health tools for youth, increasing access for teens and young adults—though uptake may be lower among low-income or rural youth without reliable broadband or devices.
HealthcareLean industryRef: Section: $2.5M for digital youth behavioral health servicesEnables individuals seeking postconviction relief to challenge unconstitutional sentences or convictions, but the pool of eligible petitioners is narrow (e.g., those with new evidence or constitutional violations), limiting broad impact.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Section: $764K annually for postconviction counselSustains high-wage jobs at major academic medical centers and supports research infrastructure, but the majority of economic benefit accrues to institutional employers and highly educated professionals rather than low- or middle-income workers.
Business & EmploymentLean industryRef: Section: $80M for UW Medical Center and Harborview operations
Potential Concerns (5)
Expands legal access and redress for individuals impacted by unconstitutionally applied drug possession laws (State v. Blake), enabling refunds of fines/fees and postconviction legal representation—directly benefiting low-income individuals who were disproportionately impacted by the prior enforcement regime.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Section: Court operations funding, including $51.4M FY24 for State v. Blake refunds and legal servicesIncreases access to critical behavioral health services—including inpatient care and crisis response—for people experiencing acute mental health or substance use crises, many of whom are unhoused or involved in the criminal legal system, reducing reliance on emergency rooms and jails.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Section: $64.8M for long-term inpatient behavioral health capacity; $988K for regional mobile crisis teamsStrengthens due process and family integrity by ensuring legal representation for vulnerable parents and youth in high-stakes child welfare proceedings, reducing the risk of unwarranted removals and improving outcomes for families.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Section: $3.917M for appointed counsel in dependency cases; $2M for domestic violence survivors; $1M for prefiling consultation for parents at risk of DCYF removalSupports early intervention for students at risk of school disengagement or delinquency, potentially improving long-term educational and economic outcomes—particularly for students in under-resourced districts.
EducationPeopleRef: Section: $7M annually for truancy and at-risk youth case managementDirects culturally specific behavioral health and substance use services to tribal nations and urban Indian communities, addressing longstanding underfunding and improving access where public infrastructure is weakest.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Section: $15.4M opioid abatement funds for tribes and urban Indian health programs; $514K for Tulalip Tribe residential treatment; $200K rural pilot in Island County