Washington State Legislature
Washington State has 49 state legislative districts of relatively equal population, each of which elect one senator and two representatives. As a result, the Washington State Legislature consists of 98 seats in the House of Representatives and 49 seats in the Senate.
Beginning the second Monday in January, state legislators convene at the capitol in Olympia for legislative session where policy and the state operating, capital, and transportation budgets are considered. The state budget cycle is two years with the biennial budgets decided in odd-numbered years.
As a state public baccalaureate institution, the 91探花 is supported by state appropriations and therefore, engages with the state legislature to safeguard base funding and legislative priorities in the final state budgets.
- : Find information about legislators, bills, policy committees, and more.
- : Learn about the steps a bill must take to become law.聽 91探花Finance, Planning & Budgeting provides another helpful overview, especially for those tasked with analyzing proposed legislation.
- : Discover which of Washington’s 49 legislative districts you live in and who represents you.
- : Unedited video coverage of Washington State government, politics, and public policy, including live committee hearings and executive sessions, press conferences, commission and agency board meetings, court hearings and more.
Executive Branch
Washington State has nine elected executive offices, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, State Auditor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, and Commissioner of Public Lands. The executives in each office serve four-year terms.
- : The Governor鈥檚 official actions include bill action, directives, executive orders, flag lowering, judicial appointments, and proclamations.
- : The Lieutenant Governor acts as Governor when the Governor is absent from the state or is otherwise unable to serve, presides over the Senate and interprets the Senate conduct and procedure rules, and serves on and appoints members to committees, boards, and commissions.
- : The Secretary of State is the state鈥檚 chief elections officer and is therefore, responsible for supervising all state and local elections. The position also serves as the Chief Corporations Office and Supervisor of the State Archives.
- The Treasurer is responsible for the safety and security of the state’s monies, chairs the State Finance Committee and the Public Deposit Protection Commission, and serves on five other state boards.
- : The Attorney General is the top legal officer for state government.
- : The State Auditor examines how state and local government use public funds and develops strategies to make government more efficient and effective.
- : The Superintendent oversees the state’s public K鈥�12 education.
- : The Insurance Commissioner protects insurance consumers and oversees the insurance industry.
- : The Commissioner of Public Lands manages, sustains, and protects the health and productivity of the state’s lands and waters.
State Agencies
Washington State has almost 200 public agencies, boards, and commissions serving residents, including the 91探花.
Use the to find a list of the state鈥檚 public agencies with contact information and links to their websites.
Higher Education Data
The (IPEDS) is a set of surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Education Department鈥檚 National Center for Education Statistics. IPEDS gathers information about institutional characteristics, admissions, enrollment, program completions, graduation rates, outcome measures, student financial aid, finances, human resources, and academic libraries. Click to see the UW’s IPEDS reports.
The (ERDC) compiles K-12 and higher education data, including for the state鈥檚 public baccalaureate institutions. The has centralized data on student enrollment, student progress, and degrees and graduates.
91探花Fast Facts highlights frequently requested and used University data. The document is updated every December by 91探花Finance, Planning & Budgeting.
91探花Profiles is a set of dashboards that show the University’s enrollments, degree production, graduation, and retention trends for all three campuses.
The 91探花Economic Impact Report is conducted by the Office of External Affairs every five years to enhance the understanding of the University’s impact on Washington State.
University & Higher Education Partners
91探花Finance, Planning & Budgeting support the 91探花community, including the Office of State Relations, through the planning and allocation of financial and physical resources and by providing analysis and information services, including during legislative session, to enhance university decision-making, planning, and policy formation.
- State Operations resources, including state budget information, bill tracking & legislative resources, fiscal notes, state funding policies & guidelines, and legislative process & terms.
- View Briefs on higher education policy, state budget and statutory obligations, 91探花policy, and national higher education trends.
- Explore 91探花Data, including fast facts, profiles, external reports, peer comparisons, and internal data resources.
The (COP) is the association of Washington state鈥檚 six public four-year colleges and universities 鈥� Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, The Evergreen State College, 91探花, Washington State University, and Western Washington University.
Other key higher education partners include: