2021 Washington State Legislative Session Report: Week 2

Source: Brad Boswell, January 23, 2021

Week Two

The second week of the 105 day 2021 Legislative Session is now complete. This week was full of virtual committee hearings and executive sessions. Many bills directly related to COVID-19 response have been quickly moving through the legislative process including the Governor’s unemployment insurance bill, a bill to amend graduation requirements for this school year, and legislation exempting government relief payments from taxes.

This week there was a work session in the House Appropriations Committee regarding the state operating budget. Transportation Chair Jake Fey held a press conference on his transportation proposal. The package includes 25.8 billion in spending over the next 16 years which is funded by a gas tax increase of 18 cents per gallon (ten cents per gallon in year one and an additional eight cents in year two) and a carbon fee on transportation sector emissions. Investments include 4.6 billion in preservation, 3.5 billion for culverts, and 6.7 billion for projects.

On Monday the Governor announced an updated statewide vaccine distribution and administration plan. The plan includes a partnership with the private sector that will work directly with the state to reach Washington’s daily vaccination goal of 45,000. Also individuals 65 and over were made immediately eligible to receive a vaccine.

On Tuesday, republicans released a COVID-19 recovery plan titled the REAL Recovery for Washington Act. The proposal includes a $4 billion in relief funded by the state’s rainy-day fund and new federal dollars. On Friday, democrats released a $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief package today, SB 5343/HB 1367 and SB 5344/HB 1368, funded largely by federal relief dollars.  The package is focused on increasing vaccine distribution, contact tracing, supporting schools, and providing relief for renters and small businesses.

There was a new revenue proposal introduced this week that would create a tax on the sale of personal data. We expect to see additional revenue proposals introduced in the coming weeks including a statewide payroll tax on high earners.

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

Earlier this week a work session was held concerning Buy Clean & Buy Fair in the House Capital Budget committee.  I wanted to flag this work session and video link for anyone interested in this subject matter.  

The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology committee heard the Cap & Invest bill (SB 5126) on Tuesday, January 19th (hearing linked here).  Representative Fitzgibbon’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard bill (HB 1091) was voted out of the House Environment & Energy committee Thursday (VOTE COUNT).  The hearing can be heard here.  Governor Inslee’s building decarbonization bill (HB 1084) is not on a committee schedule for this coming week, but we will keep you updated if that changes.  Here is the link to this past week’s hearing.  Senator Liias’s companion bill (SB 5093) has yet to come before the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology committee.

Clean Tech Alliance Bill Status & Upcoming Events Report

Upcoming Events

Environment & Energy (House) – Virtual, – 1/26 @ 8:00am

  • HB 1050 – Exec Session – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fluorinated gases.
  • HB 1125 – Public Hearing – 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. (Remote testimony.)

Capital Budget (House) – Virtual, – 1/26 @ 1:30pm

  • HB 1103 – Public Hearing – Improving environmental and social outcomes with the production of building materials. (Remote testimony.)

Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – Virtual, – 1/27 @ 8:00am

  • SB 5168 – Public Hearing – Concerning renewable and nonemitting resources analysis and advisory opinions. (Remote testimony.)
  • SB 5174 – Public Hearing – Providing for the recycling of wind turbine blades. (Remote testimony.)
  • SB 5206 – Public Hearing – Eliminating expedited processing of an alternative energy resource facility fueled by solar energy on certain designated lands before the energy facility site evaluation council. (Remote testimony.)

Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – Virtual, – 1/28 @ 10:30am

  • SB 5244 – Public Hearing – Encouraging the production of advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and components through the invest in Washington act. (Remote testimony.)

Environment & Energy (House) – Virtual, – 1/28 @ 1:30pm

  • HB 1050 – Exec Session – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fluorinated gases.

Environment & Energy (House) – Virtual, – 1/29 @ 10:00am

  • HB 1125 – Exec Session – 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.

Bill #Abbrev. TitleShort DescriptionStatusSponsor
HB 1036Transportation fuel/carbonReducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel.H Env & EnergyFitzgibbon
HB 1046Community solar programsConcerning community solar programs.H Env & EnergyBateman
HB 1050Fluorinated gasesReducing greenhouse gas emissions from fluorinated gases.H Env & EnergyFitzgibbon
HB 1080 (SB 5083)Capital budget 2021-2023Concerning the capital budget.H Cap BudgetTharinger
HB 1081 (SB 5084)State gen. obligation bondsConcerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.H Cap BudgetTharinger
HB 1084 (SB 5093)Building decarbonizationReducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings.H Env & EnergyRamel
HB 1091 (SB 5231)Transportation fuel/carbonReducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel.H Exec ActionFitzgibbon
HB 1093 (SB 5091)Operating budget, 2nd supp.Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations.H AppropsOrmsby
HB 1094 (SB 5092)Operating budget 2021-2023Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.H AppropsOrmsby
HB 1103Building materialsImproving environmental and social outcomes with the production of building materials.H Cap BudgetDuerr
HB 1125Energy investmentsIncentivizing 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 & EnergyShewmake
HB 1130Energy supply/consumersConcerning consumer affordability and reliability in energy supply.H Env & EnergyDye
HB 1135 (SB 5165)Transp. budget 2021-2023Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.H TransportationFey
HB 1204 (SB 5256)Transp. electrificationConcerning the electrification of transportation.H TransportationMacri
SB 5083 (HB 1080)Capital budget 2021-2023Concerning the capital budget.S Ways & MeansFrockt
SB 5084 (HB 1081)State gen. obligation bondsConcerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.S Ways & MeansFrockt
SB 5091 (HB 1093)Operating budget, 2nd supp.Making 2019-2021 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations.S Ways & MeansRolfes
SB 5092 (HB 1094)Operating budget 2021-2023Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.S Ways & MeansRolfes
SB 5093 (HB 1084)Building decarbonizationReducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings.S Environment, ELiias
SB 5126Climate commitment actConcerning the Washington climate commitment act.S Environment, ECarlyle
SB 5165 (HB 1135)Transp. budget 2021-2023Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.S TransportationHobbs
SB 5168Electric utility advisoryConcerning renewable and nonemitting resources analysis and advisory opinions.S Environment, EShort
SB 5174Wind turbine blade recyclingProviding for the recycling of wind turbine blades.S Environment, EWilson
SB 5206Energy facility evaluationEliminating 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, EWarnick
SB 5231 (HB 1091)Transportation fuel/carbonReducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuel.S Environment, EStanford
SB 5244Nuclear reactor productionEncouraging the production of advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and components through the invest in Washington act.S Environment, EBrown
SB 5256 (HB 1204)Transp. electrificationConcerning the electrification of transportation.S Environment, ELiias
SB 5308Hybrid vehicle feesReducing certain transportation electrification fees on hybrid vehicles.S TransportationShort