Budget Requests for the 2025-27 Biennium

Every two years, Washington State Parks submits budgets to the Governor’s Office for review and approval. These two-year cycles are called “Biennium.” Although the agency is funded mostly by Discover Pass and camping revenue, we still need to get approval to spend this money. Sometimes we also need to request additional funding.

The agency submitted three budget requests to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) for review:

• 2025-27 Capital Budget Request – This requests new funding and reappropriations for the construction of facilities and other infrastructure in the park system, and for deferred maintenance projects.
• 2025-27 Operating Request – This requests two-year funding for the operation of the park system and for preventive maintenance projects. Requests include ongoing and one-time funding for projects.
• 2025 Supplemental Operating Request – This requests one-time funding to adjust our current operating budget.

What is next

OFM will review State Parks' requests and work up a list of questions. We will then take time to respond to each of these questions until the Governor's proposal is released in December.

2025 Legislative Session Budget Timeline

The 2025 Legislative session begins Jan.13, 2024 and will end April 27, 2025. This is a “long session” year, meaning it will last 105 days instead of the 60-day short sessions.

The House and Senate budget proposals are expected for release near the end of March or early April. Compromise budget proposals are expected for release in late April. By late May, the Governor is expected to sign the Legislature’s compromise budgets (operating, capital and transportation) into law.