Week One
The first week of the 2022 legislative session is complete. The week began Monday with most legislators participating remotely. The House started with Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-27), delivering opening day remarks, where she stated the theme of the short session is about moving everyone in the state forward. The Senate session began with the swearing in of new Senators John Lovick (D-40) and Yasmin Trudeau (D-27), the election of officers, and the adoption of new rules. You can watch the opening ceremony here. Following the opening day ceremonies both chambers adjourned and began virtual committee hearings.
On Tuesday virtual committee hearings in both the House and the Senate continued and Governor Jay Inslee delivered his state of the state address. Following the state of the state address Republican leaders held a press conference where they discussed their priorities for the 2022 legislative session which include restoring public safety, trust, and affordability. Also on Tuesday Simon Sefzik of Ferndale, WA was named as Senator Doug Erickson’s replacement. Sefzick was sworn in on Tuesday following a 4-2 vote from the Whatcom County Council. At 22, he is the youngest Senator to serve in WA state.
In the first week the legislature considered many important bills including HB 1732 that would delay the implementation of the Washington Cares Fund premium assessment by 18 months. The bill was heard and moved out of committee in week one and can now be pulled to the House floor for a vote. In the meantime employers are faced with the decision on whether or not to collect the tax. Both House and Senate leadership have stated that they intend to pass the bill in week two.
Other important issues that were discussed in week one include police reform bills that focus on providing clarity for laws that passed in 2021. The new Senate Transportation Chair Senator Marko Liias (D-21) held a hearing on the Governor’s proposed transportation budget, SB 5689. House Transportation Chair Jake Fey (D-27) held a public hearing on the House companion. The Senate Transportation Committee also received an update on federal dollars and implementation of the climate commitment act and LCFS. Both the House and the Senate held public hearings on the Governor’s Operating Budget, SB 5693/HB 1816.
The January 2022 Economic & Revenue monthly update report came out on Friday, January 14th. The report showed that major General Fund-State (GF-S) revenue collections for the December 11, 2021 – January 10th, 2022 were $260.9 million (12.7%) higher than forecasted in November. Most of the surplus came from Revenue Act taxes including, B&O, sales, use, utility, and tobacco products. The report also showed that Washington employment growth has been below the November forecast and Seattle-area consumer price inflation outpaced the national average. You can read the full report here. On Thursday, January 20th the House Finance Committee will hold a work session where they hear from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
Next week committee hearings and executive sessions will continue. As a reminder all bills without a fiscal impact need to be voted out of their policy committee by February 3rd in order to stay alive this session.
Important Dates:
Feb 3 – House of Origin Policy Cutoff
Feb 7 – House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff
Feb 15 – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
Feb 24 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
Feb 28 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff
March 4 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
Hearings of Interest:
House Environment & Energy – 1/18/2022 8:00 AM
Public Hearing:
- HB 1682 – Concerning a compliance pathway specific to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed businesses for achieving their proportionate share of the state’s emissions reduction limits through 2050.
- HB 1792 – Expanding the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen not produced from a fossil fuel feedstock.
House Environment & Energy – 1/20/2022 1:30 PM
Public Hearing:
- HB 1799 – Concerning organic materials management.
- HB 1686 – Allowing the labeling of biodegradable products that are supported by recognized national or international test methods.
Possible Executive Session:
- HB 1663 – Reducing methane emissions from landfills.
- HB 1691 – Concerning financial responsibility requirements related to oil spills.
- HB 1767 – Concerning the authority of publicly owned electric utilities to engage in targeted electrification through the adoption of plans that establish a finding that utility outreach and investment in the conversion of its customers’ end use equipment from fossil fuels to electricity will provide net benefits to the utility.
- HB 1768 – Updating definitions applicable to energy conservation projects involving public entities.
House Environment & Energy – 1/21/2022 10:00 AM
Public Hearing:
- HB 1812 – Modernizing the energy facility site evaluation council to meet the state’s clean energy goals.
- HB 1871 – Establishing a moratorium on the siting of alternative energy facilities through the energy facility site evaluation council process pending a comprehensive performance report on the effects of the energy independence act and the recommendations of a joint legislative committee.
- HB 1814 – Expanding equitable access to the benefits of renewable energy through community solar projects.
Possible Executive Session:
- HB 1792 – Expanding the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen not produced from a fossil fuel feedstock.
Senate Environment, Energy & Technology – 1/19/2022 8:00 AM
Public Hearing:
- SB 5590 – Eliminating the 2022 expiration date of the marine resources advisory council.
- SB 5744 – Concerning tax deferrals for investment projects in clean technology manufacturing, clean alternative fuels production, and renewable energy storage.
- SB 5666 – Concerning the authority of publicly owned electric utilities to engage in targeted electrification through the adoption of plans that establish a finding that utility outreach and investment in the conversion of its customers’ end use equipment from fossil fuels to electricity will provide net benefits to the utility.
- SB 5492 – Providing for the recycling of wind turbine blades.
Senate Environment, Energy & Technology – 1/20/2022 10:30 AM
Public Hearing:
- SB 5813 – Establishing data privacy protections to strengthen a consumer’s ability to access, manage, and protect their personal data.
- SB 5533 – Concerning online marketplace consumer product theft and safety protection.
- SB 5834 – Implementing enterprise-wide technology policies in state government to ensure consistency, security, and responsible use of data.
Clean Tech Alliance Bill Status Report
| Bill # | Abbrev. Title | Short Description | Status | Sponsor |
| HB 1036 | Transportation fuel/carbon | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel. | H Env & Energy | Fitzgibbon |
| HB 1046 | Community solar programs | Concerning community solar programs. | H Env & Energy | Bateman |
| SHB 1081 (ESSB 5084) | State gen. obligation bonds | Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts. | H Rules C | Tharinger |
| SHB 1084 (SB 5093) | Building decarbonization | Reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings. | H Approps | Ramel |
| HB 1093 (SB 5091) | Operating budget, 2nd supp. | Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental 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 |
| 2SHB 1173 | State lands development auth | Concerning state lands development authorities. | H Rules 3C | Berry |
| HB 1280 | Greenhouse gas/facilities | Concerning greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the design of public facilities. | H Rules 3C | Ramel |
| SHB 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 Approps | 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 |
| SHB 1732 | Long-term care/delay | Delaying the implementation of the long-term services and supports trust program by 18 months. | H Rules R | Sullivan |
| SHB 1733 | Long-term care/exemptions | Establishing voluntary exemptions to the long-term services and supports trust program for certain populations. | H Rules R | Paul |
| HB 1766 (SB 5668) | Gas companies | Modifying the regulation of gas companies to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. | H Env & Energy | Ramel |
| HB 1767 (SB 5666) | Targeted electrification | Concerning the authority of publicly owned electric utilities to engage in targeted electrification through the adoption of plans that establish a finding that utility outreach and investment in the conversion of its customers’ end use equipment from fossil fuels to electricity will provide net benefits to the utility. | H Env & Energy | Ramel |
| HB 1768 | Energy conservation projects | Updating definitions applicable to energy conservation projects involving public entities. | H Env & Energy | Duerr |
| HB 1770 (SB 5669) | Energy codes | Strengthening energy codes. | H Local Govt | Duerr |
| HB 1774 (SB 5722) | Greenhouse gases/buildings | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. | H Env & Energy | Hackney |
| HB 1781 (SB 5651) | Capital budget, supplemental | Concerning the capital budget. | H Cap Budget | Tharinger |
| HB 1812 | Energy facility site council | Modernizing the energy facility site evaluation council to meet the state’s clean energy goals. | H Env & Energy | Fitzgibbon |
| HB 1964 | Alternative energy decomm. | Concerning the decommissioning of alternative energy facilities. | H Env & Energy | Corry |
| SB 5091 (HB 1093) | Operating budget, 2nd supp. | Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental 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 |
| SB 5168 | Electric utility advisory | Concerning renewable and nonemitting resources analysis and advisory opinions. | S Environment, E | Short |
| 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 |
| SB 5493 | Residential renewable energy | Reopening the renewable energy system incentive program for residential-scale systems. | S Environment, En | Wilson |
| SB 5651 (HB 1781) | Capital budget, supplemental | Concerning the capital budget. | S Ways & Means | Frockt |
| SB 5666 (HB 1767) | Targeted electrification | Concerning the authority of publicly owned electric utilities to engage in targeted electrification through the adoption of plans that establish a finding that utility outreach and investment in the conversion of its customers’ end use equipment from fossil fuels to electricity will provide net benefits to the utility. | S Environment, E | Liias |
| SB 5668 (HB 1766) | Gas companies | Modifying the regulation of gas companies to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. | S Environment, En | Lovelett |
| SB 5669 (HB 1770) | Energy codes | Strengthening energy codes. | S Environment, En | Liias |
| SB 5678 | Energy project orders | Concerning energy transformation, nonemitting electric generation, and renewable resource project analysis and declaratory orders. | S Environment, En | Short |
| SB 5722 (HB 1774) | Greenhouse gases/buildings | Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. | S Environment, En | Nguyen |
| SB 5835 | Workers’ compensation | Concerning workers’ compensation. | S Labor, Comm & | Saldana |