The state finance committee must recommend a working debt limit for purposes of budget development for various purpose capital bond appropriations. Nothing in this section shall in any manner affect the validity of indebtedness incurred in compliance with the provisions of Article VIII, section 1 of the state Constitution. The working debt limit must be updated periodically following forecasts of the economic and revenue forecast council. The governor and legislature must develop capital bond budgets within the most recent recommended working debt limit. The working debt limit must be lower than the state constitutional debt limit in order to reserve capacity under the constitutional limit for emergencies and economic uncertainties. In order to begin to accomplish the objectives of stabilizing debt capacity and reducing the debt service burden on the operating budget, the state finance committee must recommend working debt limits of eight and one-half percent from July 1, 2015, to and including June 30, 2017; eight and one-quarter percent from July 1, 2017, to and including June 30, 2019; eight percent from July 1, 2019, to and including June 30, 2021; seven and three-quarters percent from July 1, 2021, and thereafter. The state finance committee may recommend modified working debt limits in response to extraordinary economic conditions. The state finance committee is authorized to reduce or delay the issuance of bonds if an issuance would result in exceeding the recommended working debt limit.

Intent—2011 1st sp.s. c 46: “The legislature intends to examine the various kinds of debt incurred by Washington state and the limitations that control the amount and use of debt. To assist in this examination, the legislature seeks the assistance and recommendations of a commission on state debt.” [ 2011 1st sp.s. c 46 § 1.]