What an incredible session it’s been! Several of key bills we had been advocating for passed (100% Clean Energy, Plastic Packaging, Appliance and Building Efficiency, Electrification of Transportation, a portion of HEAL act to improve environmental justice), and all ones we opposed died, including the ATV bill which we miraculously killed through a great team effort.

Washington is the first state in the Northwest and the fourth state in the nation to enact a legally required phase-out of carbon pollution in our electricity sector – and the policy our legislature passed is far and away the strongest in the country. SB 5116 targets full decarbonization of our grid by 2045, and provides for carbon neutral electricity by 2030. But it does more than that—it offers a significant expansion of low-income energy assistance, requires our utilities to consider equity impacts as they build systems and infrastructure, incorporates the nation’s highest social cost of carbon into utility plans and, for the first time, predicates tax incentives on job quality criteria. This groundbreaking policy sets precedents for further improvements, both here and in other states. Jasmine is attending the bill signing in Seattle this week.

We also made progress on Clean Transportation: HB 2042 will direct investments in excess of $160 million in renewed electric vehicle incentives as high as $2500 in certain parts of the state, a new Capital Grants program that will support electrification of transit fleets, fund charging infrastructure and for the first time fund low-income electric car share, and more. This bill represents the largest investment in the clean transportation sector in state history. Also, Seattle City Light and Tacoma Public Utilities, along with other public utilities, led the charge on HB1512, which will expand utility investment in this area as well. Mike Steele was the primary sponsor of 1512!

The Clean Buildings for Washington Act HB 1257 is the first state law to require retrofits of existing commercial buildings, the largest of which are significant energy hogs, and subjects natural gas utilities to stronger efficiency standards, including planning with the same social cost of carbon incorporated into the 100% clean electricity policy. Also notably, Representative Jeff Morris sponsored an important appliance efficiency bill that made it to the governor’s desk as well.

Senator David Frockt passed a major reform to the Model Toxics Control Act, which will increases taxes on oil to help pay for some of the health and environmental harms caused by fossil fuel pollution.

Also of note is Senator Brad Hawkins’ Renewable Hydrogen bill Substitute Senate Bill 5588 authorizes PUDs to produce, distribute and sell renewable hydrogen.

Several bills we advocated for did not make through (Community Forests Pilot, Wood Stove Efficiency, Plastic Bag Ban, Clean Fuel Standard, Suction Dredge Mining).  The Clean Fuel Standard is a keystone transportation policy that provides fuel choices for consumers, cleans up our air and cuts climate pollution. Washington is the last West Coast jurisdiction without the standard. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is poised to adopt a regional standard, and we and our health, air quality, clean fuels, and other allies are coming back next session for a statewide policy.

There were thousands of bills this session, so this is just a slice of the apple.

Thank you to our representative in Olympia, Joanna Grist for working tirelessly to advocate on our behalf. A huge thank you to Climate Solutions and the Washington Environmental Council for providing us with weekly updates on the state legislature.