Gov. Jay Inslee signs new two-year state budget

The bipartisan budget agreement spends an estimated $1.3 billion on K-12 basic education, and it phases in tuition cuts at the state's universities, as well as community and technical colleges.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate had struggled for months on the two-year state budget because of differing ideas on how to address a state Supreme Court mandate to put more money into the state's basic education system.

The budget also fully pays for collective bargaining agreements for state employees and raises for teachers, and it puts more money into the state's mental health system and other social service programs.

Early Wednesday, the House passed a $16.1 billion transportation revenue bill that includes an 11.9 cent incremental increase in the gas tax on a 54-44 vote.

Because the House amended the bill, it goes back to the Senate, which passed the package on Monday, for a final vote.