JUmp to: climate change; energy; forests & Rivers; Shorelines, Wetlands & Land use; transportation; water

CLIMATE CHANGE

• SHB 1112 Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from hydrofluorocarbons. Passed the House, 55-39, 4 excused. Passed the Senate 35-13 with amendments. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 
• SHB 1114 Reduces Food Waste Causing Hunger and Environmental Impacts. Passed the House, 96-0. Passed the Senate 45-0. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 
• E2SSB 5116 Supporting Washington's Clean Energy Economy by transitioning to a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future. Passed the Senate 28-19, excused 2. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 

• SHB 1110 Reduces greenhouse gas emissions with transportation fuels. 
• HB 1113 Aligns Washington State's greenhouse gas reduction goals with the 2015 Paris Agreement and current climate change science assessments. 

• HB 1597 Integrates the natural gas upstream emissions rate and global warming potential rule into other environmental and energy laws.

• HB 2009 Establishing a healthy environment for all by addressing environmental health disparities. One of our disappointments is the HEAL ACT which lost ground in the last round of negotiations. This would have created a Task Force to address health disparities due to environmental impacts, including Climate Change and Environmental Justice for this vulnerable populations wherein life expectancy, health and quality of life demand increased awareness and resources. This challenge remains unmet with the derailment of HB 2009.

• SB 5489 Creating environmental justice task force. 

• SB 5811 Reducing emissions be making changes to the clean car standards and clean car program.

• SB 5947 Establishing the sustainable farms and fields grant program.

• SB 5971 Transportation funding, including carbon fee.  

• SB 5981 Implementing a greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade program. The League is watching this bill, pending further developments that would indicate how its provisions would be implemented and funded if it were passed along with other energy and transportation bills that the League supported during this legislative session.

• E3SHB 1257 Encourages energy efficient residential buildings in order to significantly reduce greenhouse gasses. Passed the House, 55-37, 6 excused. Passed the Senate 25-23. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 
• 2SHB 1444 Applies energy efficiency standards to a broad array of appliances that are sold, offered for sale or installed in the state. Passed the House, 57-41. Passed the Senate 26-22, 1 excused. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 

• ESHB 1332 The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC or Council) coordinates all evaluation and licensing steps for siting certain proposed energy facilities. This bill streamlines and update EFSEC operations. It adds two tribal members to the Council, and tribal governments have a larger voice in energy site selection.
  
• HB 1642 requires large utilities and allows small utilities, as well as retail electric cooperatives, to offer “on-bill” repayment programs to customers. “On-bill” programs give utility customers the option to pay back loans for energy conservation or renewable energy projects by having the repayment added to their utility bill. 

• SB 5118 Unless specifically allowed by statute, electric utilities would be prohibited from establishing compensation arrangements or interconnection requirements that limit the ability of customers to generate or store electricity for consumption on their premises. 
• SB 5697 Updates wood stove emissions standards to address technological advancements in order to reduce fine particle pollution from wood stoves.

FORESTS & RIVERS

• SB 5996 which sets up a dedicated account for wildfire prevention and suppression, funded by a surcharge on property and casualty insurance.
• SSB 5130 / HB 1228 funding for fish barrier removal with a graduated real estate excise tax, in the Transportation budget.

• HB 1011 Working forests real estate disclosures. Bill insures disclosure to residential buyers that property is near a “working forest” and its operations are protected. Provides information and protections to home purchasers. Passed the House, 98-0. Passed the Senate, 46-0, 3 excused. Signed by the Governor on April 8, 2019.
• HB 1137 National Guard payment for state active service for wild land fire response duty. State National Guard is an important component of state combined training and wildfire response teams. Passed the House 95-0, 3 excused. Passed the Senate 47-0, 2 excused. Signed by the Governor on April 19, 2019.
• SHB 1170 State fire service mobilization. Prepares for early wildfire response. Passed the House 94-0, 4 excused. Passed the Senate 40-0 with amendments. Signed by the Governor on May 7, 2019. 
• SSHB 1579 Increasing Chinook salmon abundance for endangered southern resident Orca whales by restricting fishing of Orca prey fish and hydraulic project permits that may damage fish habitat. Passed the House 59-39. Passed the Senate 26-20, 3 excused. Partially vetoed and signed by the Governor on May 8, 2019. 
• 2SHB 1784 Concerning Wildfire Prevention. Includes on the ground preplanning for wildfire preparation, including placement of firebreaks. Important addition to wildfire preparation measures. Passed the House 96-0, 2 excused. Passed the Senate 48-0, 1 excused. Signed by the Governor on May 8, 2019. 
• SSB 5010 Allowing Fire Districts to annex land parcels to insure protection fees are paid. Passed the Senate 43-4, 2 excused. Passed the House 97-0, 1 excused. Signed by the Governor on April 29, 2019.
• ESSB 5330 Analyzing state impact on small forest landowners. Directs the University of Washington to complete a trends analysis and regulatory impact analysis on small forest landowners.  Since the 1999 Forests and Fish Rule there are fears of Washington state losing its small forest landowners.  Passed the Senate 49-0. Passed the House 98-0 with amendments. Signed by the Governor on May 21, 2019. 
• ESSB 5579 Prohibits volatile Bakken crude oil rain transfer or storage. Ensures that Bakken oil is processed to remove volatility preventing risk of explosions. Passed the Senate 27-20, 2 excused. Passed the House 53-40, 5 excused with amendments. Delivered to the Governor for signature.
• SSB 5597 Creating a work group on aerial herbicide applications in forestlands. Passed the Senate 47-0, 2 excused. Passed the House 95-1, 2 excused with amendments. Signed by the Governor on May 9, 2019. 
• SJM 8005 Supporting the continued research, development, production, and application of biochar from our forests and agricultural lands waste to make a carbon sequestering and water retaining soil amendment. Passed the Senate 49-0. Passed the House 98-0. 

• HB 1187 Revising hydraulic project eligibility standards for conservation district sponsored fish habitat enhancement bills. Good bill helping these beneficial projects move forward. 
• HB 1940 Wildland fire early response. Supports DNR’s policy of putting out small fires early to prevent larger more catastrophic and costly fires.
• HB 1941 Reviewing catastrophic wildfire impacts on communities.
• SB 5130 / HB 1228 Funding for Fish Barrier Removal by increasing transportation revenues. Because of a tribal culvert suit the State needs funding to remove barriers for fish to reach tributary spawning grounds; funding included in the Governor’s transportation budget.  
• SHB 2022 Proving funding options to local governments for fish passage barrier removals. Provides cities and counties with funding options and helps with opening up more salmon habitat beyond barriers. 
  
• 2SSB 5019 Extends expiration date of fire service mobility acts. 
• ESSB 5322 Ensuring DOE compliance with the Clean Water Act by prohibiting motorized or gravity siphon aquatic mining and their discharges from certain waters of the state. 
• SB 5580 Increases Chinook salmon for orcas by increasing prey fish and habitat availability. Protects upstream tributary salmon spawning areas. Is one of the recommendations of the Governor’s southern resident killer whale task force.
• 2SSB 5873 Creates a Community Forest Pilot Program at the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board to determine feasibility of establishing an ongoing competitive grant program. 
• SSB 5996 Funding fire prevention and suppression activities. Creates a new dedicated source of funding, the Wildfire Prevention and Suppression Account, to be spent on: emergency firefighting, preparedness, prevention and forest health. Revenue source is a raise in the tax on property and casualty insurance premiums from 2.0% to 2.52%. Proactively addresses staggering annual costs of wildfires. In Senate Ways & Means Committee; hearing drew support, but insurance industry opposed funding by increasing the tax on property and casualty insurance.
• SJM 8014 Concerning logging and mining in the upper Skagit watershed. Late introduced Memorial to the British Columbia government requesting they work with the City of Seattle and the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission to prevent logging and mining in the donut hole, between Manning Provincial Park and the North Cascades National Park. Cooperation would protect the upper Skagit watershed salmon spawning areas and water quality. Fifty percent of Puget Sound Chinook salmon come from the Skagit so is important to Orca recovery. 

• HB 1889 / SB 5136 Establishing a water infrastructure program, funding projects for Office of Columbia River, Office of Chehalis Basin, Fish Barrier Removal Board and Department of Ecology. We oppose this bill due to omnibus bill overreach, lack of public transparency and participation in projects funded, not in Governor's budget and too extensive ($500M/biennium) considering other natural resource capitol budget requests this biennium. This bill may be Necessary to Implement the Budget, and thus may not be fully dead.

• HB 1983 Concerning natural resource management activities.

• SB 5701 Allows conveyance of state lands to a county for establishment of a community forest. Would weaken environmental protection and trust land payments.

SHORELINES, WETLANDS, & LAND USE

• HB 1036 Willapa Bay Salmon Restoration Act. Ensures that Hatcheries connected to Willapa Bay produce annual number equal to or greater than the average annual number over the last 20 years.
• HB 1341 Concerning the use of unmanned aerial systems near certain protected marine species.
• HB 1544 Addressing the effective date of certain actions taken under the growth management act. This vesting reform bill reduces the chance that building permits that could degrade the environment would be approved.
• HB 1781 Amending the land use petition act. 
• HB 1824 Addressing the impacts of pinnipeds on populations of threatened southern resident orca prey. Requires the Department of Ecology to consult with tribes, anglers and conservation groups to address the predation of salmon by seals and sea lions.
• SB 5440 Concerning the housing element of comprehensive plans required under the Growth Management Act. This bill would provide a boost to expanding affordable housing in jurisdictions.
• SB 5617 Banning the use of non-tribal gill nets. Intended to allow the native salmon population to rebound.
• SB 5578 Reducing threats to southern resident killer whales by improving the safety of oil transportation.
• SB 5657 Requiring publicly owned wastewater treatment plants that directly discharge to Puget Sound to control pollution from opioids.
• SSB 5812 Concerning local governments planning and zoning for accessory dwelling units. 
• SB 5824 Funding efforts to increase salmon population. Establishes a pilot program to explore ways to make fisheries financially self-sustaining as they are in Alaska.

• HB 1031 Reducing government imposed obligations associated with bulkhead maintenance or repairs. This bill proposes to waive environmental guidelines for all branches of government regarding repair or maintenance of existing bulkheads or bank protection structures. 
• HB 1037 Concerning the use of chemicals to prevent the decline of aquaculture production. The bill would require the Department of Ecology to approve a pesticide for use in the near shore environment. 
• HB 1051 Focusing growth management act requirements on larger counties experiencing population growth. Would waive key provisions of the Growth Management Act for less populous counties. 
• HB 1233 Removes requirement regarding best available science in Growth Management considerations.
• HB 1451 An Act relating to local project review undertaken under chapter 36.70B RCW; and amending RCW 36.70B.070. Requires local governments to speed the permitting process which could result in additional administrative burden.
• HB 1611 Safe Cultivation of Shellfish. Authorizes use of a pesticide in nearshore aquaculture.
• SB 5026 Proposing that urban growth area boundaries shall follow existing parcel boundary lines.
• ESB 5008 Allows jurisdictions planning under the Growth Management Act to create short subdivisions of up to nine lots and, by ordinance, to create short subdivisions of up to 30 lots within any urban growth area.
• SB 5193 Concerning the process of identifying limited areas of more intensive rural development. 
• SB 5194 Concerning the review of urban growth area boundaries. 
• SB 5245 Removes requirement regarding best available science in Growth Management considerations.
• SB 5372 Concerning local project review of permit application. Requires local governments to speed the permitting process which could result in additional administrative burden.
• SB 5384 Concerning the location of tiny house communities. Allows communities to locate tiny house developments outside of city limits where services would be minimal.

• SB 5626 Safe Cultivation of Shellfish. Authorizes use of a pesticide in nearshore aquaculture.

• SB 5630 Concerning the composition of the growth management hearings board. Places unnecessary new requirements on the hearings board that would disrupt the current effective structure.

• SB 5639 Concerning the growth management hearings board (GMHB) hearings. Places unnecessary new requirements on the hearings board that would disrupt the current effective structure.

TRANSPORTATION

Bills the League is Watching

• HB 1110 Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation fuels. This bill would limit the greenhouse gas emissions per unit of transportation fuel energy to 10 percent below 2017 levels by 2028 and 20 percent below 2017 levels by 2035. 
• HB 1508 / SB 5521 Concerning the distribution of connecting Washington funds to local and state transportation agencies would continue the 16-year transportation funding plan called Connecting Washington established in 2015. New revenue would support the new transportation funding package under development this year. 
• HB 2068 Relating to providing discounted toll rates to certain individuals on certain tolled facilities would establish a program that would provide a 40% discount in tolls on the following roads for people in the TANF and food stamp programs. Roads include SRs 167, 405 and 509.
• HB 1664 / SB 5336 Relating to advancing electric transportation would support development of transportation electrification plans by public electric utilities and asks the Department of Commerce to conduct a study.  
• SB 5695 Concerning high occupancy vehicle lane penalties would establish a graduated penalty for violating HOV lane usage, with penalties increasing with each additional offense. 
• SB 5970 Authorizing bonds for transportation funding, which authorizes $5 billion in bonding for state transportation projects.
• SB 5971 Concerning transportation funding, which establishes a variety of new revenues for transportation projects.
• SB 5972 Concerning additive transportation funding and appropriations, which lays out the array of state transportation projects and transfers to various other jurisdictions in the state for transportation purposes. 
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WATER

2019 Legislative Session Recap 

Our goal for the 2019 legislative session was to continue improving the state and local governmental programs empowered to protect the quality and quantity of our waste including municipal water, ground water, and in-stream flows. The legislature made significant progress on these goals. Most of the opportunity this session was in reducing pollution that finds its way into our water. Three notable successes this session include SHB 1290 reviews of voluntary cleanup projects, SSB 5135 to identify and regulate toxic pollution that affects public health or the environment, and SB 5145 to prohibit hydraulic fracturing in the exploration for and production of oil and natural gas. These bills should improve or prevent degradation of stream and ground water quality in the near future and in the long term, plus improve human health and the environment for orcas, salmon, and other wildlife.

Several bills either did not emerge from committee consideration or did not receive floor votes. These remain significant issues so we expect them to be reintroduced next session The biggest disappointment was the failure of ESSB 5323, reducing pollution from plastic bags, which passed the Senate committees and floor vote, then passed the House committees, was not called for a vote on the House floor. We expect this bill will be reintroduced next session. Other bills failing to emerge from committee and did not pass are described below.

Thank you to everyone who contacted your legislators to vote for these bills.

Bills the League Supported That Passed

Bills the League Supported That Did Not Pass

Although these bills did not succeed this session, they will likely be introduced again next session.