The Washington State Senate approved Sen. Andy Hill’s 2014 supplemental budget proposal on Thursday. Hill represents Kirkland in the 45th District. The budget prioritizes K-12 and higher education, meets the state’s four-year balanced budget requirement and keeps the state deficit free, according to Hill.

Like 2013, Hill created a collaborative budget-writing process, which led to a strong bipartisan endorsement of the measure by a 41-8 vote.

“Coming into session with a balanced budget for the first time since 2008 gave us the opportunity to take meaningful and responsible steps when updating state spending,” said Hill, who serves as chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “The opportunity to do that came about because of our bipartisan work last year prioritizing education and living within our means.”

The plan increases funding for college scholarships and grants and invests in K-12 classroom technology. The major budget theme both in education and in job creation surrounded emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math skills and opportunities.

“It’s incredibly easy to create a major long-term budget problem in supplemental years,” said Hill. “That is why we exercised restraint in order to bring forward a plan that is sustainable and puts us in a better position to build on our commitment to education in the next major overhaul.”

The spending plan is now sent to House of Representatives for consideration where representatives are expected to take up their own plan before the two chambers reach final agreement. Lawmakers have two weeks left in the 60-day 2014 legislative session.