OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - A massive, yet unfunded, reform to K-12 education, bigger checks for the jobless and expanded partnership rights for same-sex couples are among the policy accomplishments for majority Democrats in an otherwise austere legislative session.

Facing a $9 billion budget deficit, most new ideas with a price tag were shelved, while Democrats in the Legislature tried to salvage the social programs promoted in last year's elections that retained Democratic majorities in both chambers and kept Gov. Chris Gregoire in office.

"We were handed the most difficult budget probably in state history," said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the Senate caucus chairman. "We handled it responsibly, but I think we're sad with decisions we had to make."

Business groups fared better than most. Labor unions, stalwarts of the Democrats' political machine, struck out on many of their goals for the session.

Tax increases were discussed. There was an unusually serious look at a state income tax, long considered a political no-man's-land. Then there was talk of boosting the sales tax to offset cuts to treasured safety-net programs. Both were abandoned.

Hospital groups and labor unions mulled a sales tax campaign and even conducted polling to see how taxpayers might vote if a tax were placed on the ballot. However, voters' temperature came back lukewarm.

Instead, lawmakers passed a cut-heavy budget, leaving many social welfare problems with far less money.

While the legislative session began with powerful rhetoric of streamlining government and eliminating "sacred cows," few actually faced the knife. Around 25 boards and commissions were nixed, and a few lawmakers attempted to split up the Department of Social and Health Services, but the broad vision first outlined by the governor in her state of the state speech was not adopted.

Republicans criticized Democrats for failing to make the important cuts to government spending and bureaucracy instead of relying on one-time federal stimulus dollars, fee increases, and shifting money from different accounts to balance their budget.

"It's like throwing a tarp over a hole for two years," said Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield.

Gregoire said she is likely to call a special session to finish work on a handful of bills left over when time ran out Sunday night after hours of political gridlock between the House and Senate. But Democrats were able pass a number of measures during the regular session:

-DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS: An "everything but marriage" bill for same-sex couples awaits a signature from Gregoire. The measure expands on previous domestic partnership laws by adding such partnerships to all remaining areas of state law where currently only married couples are mentioned. The statutes range from labor and employment rights to pensions and other public employee benefits.

-CAR FEES: Starting in July, car dealers in Washington will be able to temporarily triple the document fees people pay when they buy or lease a car. Car dealers said they needed the change to better compete with neighboring states that have higher document fees than Washington but offer lower base prices. The bill, signed into law by Gregoire earlier this month, lets dealers increase the $50 fee to $150 starting July 1. The fee goes back to $50 on July 1, 2014.

-COLLEGE TUITION: Lawmakers removed the 7 percent cap on annual tuition increases for in-state undergraduate students. Four-year universities can raise tuition by up to 14 percent each year for the next two years, and community and technical colleges will be able to raise tuition by 7 percent per year. The increase is intended to make up for some of the higher ed money slashed from the budget.

-EDUCATION REFORM: After contentious debate, the Legislature approved sweeping reforms to Washington's K-12 education system. The changes will phase in over 10 years and are expected to cost billions. The reforms will change the way the state distributes money to schools, increase high school class hours, and add all-day kindergarten, preschool and gifted education to the state's definition of basic education. There's just one problem: lawmakers still need to find a way to pay for it.

-PUBLIC RECORDS-INMATES: Jail and prison inmates will be blocked from using public records laws to intimidate or harass state agencies and employees under a measure signed into law by Gregoire last month.

-BRIDGE TOLLING: Those relying on the State Highway 520 bridge, which spans Lake Washington in King County, can expect to join the ranks of Tacoma residents who already pay to cross the Narrows Bridge. Lawmakers approved a measure that will begin tolling on the 520 bridge. The money raised will go toward paying for a replacement bridge. The nearby Interstate 90 bridge across Lake Washington will not be tolled.

-VIADUCT: After years of stalemate among state lawmakers, the governor and municipal officials, the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle will be replaced with a deep-bore tunnel.

-WASL CHANGES: The Legislature signed off on plans to revise the state's academic testing. The measure does not throw out the Washington Assessment of Student Learning but it gives state schools chief Randy Dorn lawmakers' blessing to update and improve the test. A related measure changing math graduation requirements, giving students a break after attempting the math WASL one time, has been signed by the governor.

-PAYDAY LENDING: After years of lobbying by consumer advocates, legislators barely passed tougher regulation of the payday loan industry - providers of short-term loans with extremely high interest rates. Proponents called the bill a compromise, imposing improved consumer protection while still keeping the industry viable. Industry groups, however, say branches will close. The bill imposes mandatory payment plans and limits on the sizes of loans.

-FELONS-VOTING RIGHTS: Convicted felons would get their voting rights back once they're no longer in state custody. Under current law, felons can't vote until they have served their sentences and are no longer under state custody, including any parole or probation, and have paid all restitution and other court fees. Under the bill awaiting Gregoire's signature, felons could register to vote once they're no longer under parole or probation. But those rights could be revoked if a felon fails to make regular payments on financial obligations, including court fees or restitution.

Bills that failed:

-MARIJUANA PENALTIES: Efforts to decriminalize possession of 1.4 ounces or less of marijuana failed to make it past the first bill cutoff date. Measures in both the House and the Senate would have reduced the penalty for possessing small amounts of pot to a civil infraction.

-BIAW: One of the Democrats' biggest political foes was nearly required to report how it spends workers' compensation refunds under a bill that passed the Senate, but died in the House. The bill targeted the Building Industry Association of Washington, which has aggressively campaigned against Democrats.

-BURIED WITH PETS: State Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, wants to be buried with his deceased cat - so much so that he proposed a bill allowing him to do just that. Despite an outpouring of support from pet lovers of all stripes, lawmakers were not moved.

-PORN TAX: A proposed tax on pornography and other adult products and services drew plenty of attention, but never made it past committee. There were free speech problems with the plan, since it targeted a particular type of expression for special taxation.

-GREEN GROCERY BAGS: A measure requiring grocery stores to provide a compostable, recyclable or reusable bag didn't make it past its first legislative hurdle, the House environmental committee. Cities including San Francisco have already banned petroleum-based plastic bags in large grocery stores.

-DNA TESTING: A bill that would expand Washington law to require a DNA sample be collected from anyone arrested in a felony or gross misdemeanor investigation died in committee. The bill was criticized on constitutional and cost grounds.

-HOMEOWNER PROTECTIONS: For years now the Legislature has considered bills to protect homeowners against shoddy home construction, and for years that effort has failed to pass muster. This year was no exception.

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AP writers Donna Gordon Blankinship, Rachel La Corte, Phuong Le, Manuel Valdes and Curt Woodward contributed to this report.