Week Ten
As week 10 comes to a close, we now have less than 40 days remaining in this legislative session. This week was full of committee hearings which will continue through next week until the policy committee cutoff for the opposite house on Friday, March 26th. After that the next big date will be the opposite house fiscal cutoff on April 2nd, and then both chambers will head back to the floor.
On Wednesday the House held a floor session to pass HB 1477 sponsored by Tina Orwall (D-33) implementing the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act which designated 988 as the new national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline number. The bill imposes a tax on radio access lines, voice over Internet protocol service lines, and switched access lines to fund activities related to an enhanced crisis response.
On Thursday Gov. Inslee announced that the statewide eviction moratorium will be extended through June 30 and vaccine eligibility expansion. Beginning on March 31st restaurant, manufacturing, and construction workers as well as Washingtonians 60 and older will be eligible to get the vaccine. You can read the governor’s full announcement here and for information on eligibility, visit the Phase Finder tool on the Department of Health’s website.
On Wednesday the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council held a meeting where they released the most recent revenue forecast. You can watch the full briefing here. As expected, the forecast indicated stronger revenue collections and a stronger economy than what was forecasted in November. The council projected total state revenues to be up by $1.34 billion in the 2019-21 biennium, $1.949 billion in the 2021-23 biennium, and $1.899 billion in the 2023-25 biennium.
This increase is for a couple of reasons, first the November 2020 forecast assumed that there would be no additional federal pandemic relief funds. Instead, a relief package was passed in December that included extended unemployment benefits, direct checks to individuals and other aid. As a result, General Fund-State (GF-S) collections from November 11, 2020 through March 10, 2021 came in $764 million above the November forecast. Additionally, there have been strong residential real estate transactions resulting in real estate excise tax (REET) collections up $182 million higher than forecasted in November.
Although the forecast is positive and shows a quicker pandemic recovery than what was originally anticipated, the forecast showed that employment growth is slower than expected. Additionally the hospitality and travel industry continue to suffer and we are seeing rising oil and gas prices. You can view the full presentation here.
Overall members noted that this forecast puts Washington in a strong position for recovery. Although projections are good it remains to be seen if budget writers will continue to pursue new revenue sources like the controversial capital gains tax. Budget writers are currently digesting the federal stimulus dollars and we expect the House and Senate to release their respective budgets sometime late next week.
Important Dates:
Feb 15 – House of Origin Policy Cutoff
Feb 22 – House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff
March 9 – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
March 26 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
April 2 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff April 11 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff April 25 – Sine Die
The low carbon fuel standard legislation from Representative Fitzgibbon, HB 1091, was voted out of the Senate EET committee on Tuesday, March 16th, on a party line vote with Senator Hobbs signing without recommendation. The bill will now be referred to the Senate Ways & Means committee. Senator Carlyle’s Cap & Invest bill, SB 5126, continues to sit in the Senate Ways & Means committee. Public hearing took place on Monday, March 15th, but no executive action has been taken. This bill is considered necessary to implement the budget and therefore exempt from cutoffs.
Decarbonization of buildings legislation brought forward by Representative Ramel (HB 1084) remains in the House Appropriations committee. The HEAL Act legislation from Senator Saldana, SB 5141, concerns implementing recommendations from the environmental justice task force. This legislation was heard in the House Environment & Energy committee this week, with executive action scheduled for Tuesday, March 23rd.
We continue to monitor HB 1513 and HB 1534 brought forward by Representatives Lekanoff and Shewmake concerning a proposed carbon tax and bond legislative package. Neither bill is scheduled for public hearing at this time.
On Thursday, March 18th the Senate Energy, Environment and Technology Committee held a public hearing on HB 1280. This legislation sponsored by Representative Ramel would set requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in public facilities design. The bill has been scheduled for executive action on Tuesday, March 23rd.
The Senate Environment, Energy, & Technology committee gave a do pass recommendation on HB 1393 on Tuesday, March 16th. HB 1393 is related to delaying the stewardship plan and annual report for solar panel manufacturers. This legislation will now pass to the Senate Rules committee.
We expect the first look at the House and Senate capital budget possibly as early as the end of next week, and we are currently working with legislators and stakeholders on securing as much funding as possible for the Clean Energy Fund.
Clean Tech Alliance Bill Status & Upcoming Events Report
Upcoming Events
Ways & Means (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/22 @ 4:00pm
- SSB 5126 – Exec Session – Concerning the Washington climate commitment act.
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/23 @ 10:30am
- E2SHB 1050 – Exec Session – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fluorinated gases.
- HB 1280 – Exec Session – Concerning greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the design of public facilities.
Transportation (House) – Virtual, – 3/23 @ 3:30pm
- HB 1135 – Public Hearing – *Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. (Remote testimony.)
Transportation (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/23 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5165 – Public Hearing – Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. (Remote testimony.)
Transportation (House) – Virtual, – 3/25 @ 3:30pm
- HB 1135 – Exec Session – Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.
Transportation (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/25 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5165 – Exec Session – Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.
Ways & Means (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/25 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5083 – Public Hearing – Concerning the capital budget. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)
- SB 5084 – Public Hearing – Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.) (Remote testimony.)
Ways & Means (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/26 @ 1:00pm
- SB 5092 – Public Hearing – Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)
Ways & Means (Senate) – Virtual, – 3/27 @ 10:00am
- SB 5083 – Exec Session – Concerning the capital budget.
- SB 5084 – Exec Session – Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.
| Bill # | Abbrev. Title | Short Description | Status | Sponsor |
| HB 1036 (Dead) | Transportation fuel/carbon | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel. | H Env & Energy | Fitzgibbon |
| HB 1046 (Dead) | Community solar programs | Concerning community solar programs. | H Env & Energy | Bateman |
| E2SHB 1050 | Fluorinated gases | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fluorinated gases. | S Environment, En | Fitzgibbon |
| HB 1080 (SB 5083) | Capital budget 2021-2023 | Concerning the capital budget. | H Cap Budget | Tharinger |
| HB 1081 (SB 5084) | State gen. obligation bonds | Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts. | H Cap Budget | Tharinger |
| SHB 1084 (SB 5093) | Building decarbonization | Reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings. | H Approps | Ramel |
| E3SHB 1091 (SB 5231) | Transportation fuel/carbon | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel. | S Ways & Means | Fitzgibbon |
| HB 1093 (SB 5091) | Operating budget, 2nd supp. | Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations. | H Approps | Ormsby |
| HB 1094 (SB 5092) | Operating budget 2021-2023 | Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations. | H Approps | Ormsby |
| SHB 1103 (SB 5366) | Building materials | Improving environmental and social outcomes with the production of building materials. | H Approps | Duerr |
| HB 1125 | Energy investments | Incentivizing investment in energy conservation and efficiency measures and expanding opportunities for energy rate discounts to, among other objectives, reduce the energy burden of low-income customers and vulnerable populations. | H Env & Energy | Shewmake |
| HB 1130 | Energy supply/consumers | Concerning consumer affordability and reliability in energy supply. | H Env & Energy | Dye |
| HB 1135 (SB 5165) | Transp. budget 2021-2023 | Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. | H Transportation | Fey |
| SHB 1204 (SB 5256) | Transp. electrification | Concerning the electrification of transportation. | H Rules R | Macri |
| HB 1280 | Greenhouse gas/facilities | Concerning greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the design of public facilities. | S Environment, En | Ramel |
| HB 1393 | Photovoltaic module program | Delaying certain implementation dates for the photovoltaic module stewardship and takeback program. | S 2nd Reading | Shewmake |
| HB 1406 (SB 5426) | Wealth tax | Improving the equity of Washington state’s tax code by creating the Washington state wealth tax and taxing extraordinary financial intangible assets. | H Finance | Frame |
| HB 1513 | Carbon emissions | Improving environmental health by reducing carbon emissions through increasing climate resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change by levying a carbon pollution tax, authorizing a climate finance bond program, and investing in clean economic growth. | H Env & Energy | Lekanoff |
| HB 1534 | Carbon pollution tax | Establishing a carbon pollution tax that recognizes the nature of energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries. | H Env & Energy | Shewmake |
| SB 5083 (HB 1080) | Capital budget 2021-2023 | Concerning the capital budget. | S Ways & Means | Frockt |
| SB 5084 (HB 1081) | State gen. obligation bonds | Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts. | S Ways & Means | Frockt |
| SB 5091 (HB 1093) | Operating budget, 2nd supp. | Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations. | S Ways & Means | Rolfes |
| SB 5092 (HB 1094) | Operating budget 2021-2023 | Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations. | S Ways & Means | Rolfes |
| SB 5093 (SHB 1084) | Building decarbonization | Reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings. | S Environment, E | Liias |
| SSB 5126 | Climate commitment act | Concerning the Washington climate commitment act. | S Ways & Means | Carlyle |
| SB 5165 (HB 1135) | Transp. budget 2021-2023 | Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. | S Transportation | Hobbs |
| SB 5168 | Electric utility advisory | Concerning renewable and nonemitting resources analysis and advisory opinions. | S Environment, E | Short |
| SSB 5174 | Wind turbine blade recycling | Providing for the recycling of wind turbine blades. | S Rules X | Wilson |
| SB 5206 | Energy facility evaluation | Eliminating expedited processing of an alternative energy resource facility fueled by solar energy on certain designated lands before the energy facility site evaluation council. | S Environment, E | Warnick |
| SB 5231 (E3SHB 1091) | Transportation fuel/carbon | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel. | S Environment, E | Stanford |
| SB 5244 | Nuclear reactor production | Encouraging the production of advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and components through the invest in Washington act. | S Environment, E | Brown |
| SB 5256 (SHB 1204) | Transp. electrification | Concerning the electrification of transportation. | S Environment, E | Liias |
| SB 5308 | Hybrid vehicle fees | Reducing certain transportation electrification fees on hybrid vehicles. | S Transportation | Short |
| SB 5373 | Carbon pollution | Concerning carbon pollution. | S Environment, E | Lovelett |
| SB 5415 | Energy facil site eval cncl | Concerning the energy facility site evaluation council. | S Environment, E | Lovelett |