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Feb 23rd marks the 47^th day of the 2024 Legislative session in Olympia and we are in the final two weeks of session.  As of earlier this week, every proposed supplemental budget has been released, to include Operating, Capital and Transportation Budgets.  Most of them have some sort of mention of CCA revenue from the Climate Commitment Act, which was passed in 2021.  The CCA created a market-based cap-and-invest program to require the state's largest polluters to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.  Negotiations are currently underway with the Majority and Minority parties in both the Senate and House to come up with an agreed upon budget.  You will get a report on each of the budgets in the next update. 

Our next cutoff date is on is Monday, February 26 which is the last day to read in opposite house committees reports (pass bills out of committee and read them into the record on the floor) from House Fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.  After that, Friday, March 1 is the last cutoff and will be the last day to consider (pass) opposite house bills (5 p.m.) (except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session).

The last day of the 60-Day Legislative session is on Thursday, March 7, 2024

Below is a recap of six measures to the legislature for 2024, which include:

I-2081 - Parental Right to Review Education Materials, Receive Notifications, and Opt Out of Sexual-Health Education Initiative

This initiative would give Parents would have the right to:

• Review textbooks, curriculum, and supplemental materials used in their child's classroom
• inspect and receive a copy of their child's records within 10 days of a written request
• receive prior notification of medical services offered to their child, except in emergencies
• be informed about any medical services or medications provided to their child with potential financial impact
• be notified of medical treatment arranged by the school resulting in follow-up care beyond normal hours
• opt-out students from certain surveys, assignments, and instructional topics, including those related to sexuality

I-2109 - Repeal Capital Gains Tax Initiative

• The capital gains tax was passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2021.
• Took effect on January 1, 2022
• Revenue from the tax was set to be deposited in the education legacy trust account and the common school construction account
• This initiative would repeal the 7% capital gains excise tax imposed on sales and exchanges of long-term capital assets by individuals with capital gains over $250,000

I-2111 - Prohibit Income Taxes

• The ballot initiative would prohibit the state and local governments from enacting a personal income tax.
• Local Governments include Counties, Cities, and Towns
• Individual Income Tax is already Unconstitutional in WA State
• The prohibition includes any individual person on any form of personal income
• For the purposes of this Initiative, "income" has the same meaning as the Federal definition of "gross income"

I-2113 - Remove Certain Restrictions on Police Vehicular Pursuits

• Restore safe police pursuits for reasonable suspicion that a suspect has violated the law or poses a threat to the safety of others
• Restores vehicular pursuit options for law enforcement that was taken away through legislation passed in 2021
• The Initiative would allow pursuit when there is a reasonable suspicion that a person has violated the law or the person poses a threat to the safety of others and the safety risks of failing to apprehend the person are greater than the safety risks of the pursuit

I-2117 - Prohibit Carbon Tax Credit Trading and Repeal Carbon Cap-and-Invest Program Measure

• All state agencies are prohibited from implementing any type of carbon tax credit trading, also known as "cap and trade" or "cap and tax" scheme 
• Includes the climate commitment act previously codified as chapter 70A.65 RCW
• This prohibition applies whether the resulting increased costs are imposed on fuel recipients or fuel suppliers.
• Major implications to this year’s supplemental budget

I-2124 - Opt-Out of Long-Term Services Insurance Program Initiative

• Requires employees and self-employed individuals to opt into coverage under the state's long-term services and supports trust health care program
• Allows anyone to opt out of coverage at any time
• The Employee Security Department (ESD) would be responsible for developing rules to implement the opt-out process
• The Long-Term services and supports trust program was created in 2019
• The Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act (LTSS) created the first state-operated long-term care insurance program, known as the WA Cares Fund and is funded through a payroll tax on employees' wages

2024 Hearings of Initiatives

Of the above measures, three of these initiatives to the legislature are getting joint public hearings next week, to include:

• Initiative 2111 to prohibit state and local governments from enacting a personal income tax, and
• • Hearing:         Joint Senate Ways & Means Committee || House Finance Committee

• || Tuesday, February 27 || 12:30 p.m. || JLOB Rm A
• • Initiative 2081 to establish a parental bill of rights relating to their children’s public school education,
  • • Hearing:         Joint Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee || House Education Committee
• || Wednesday, February 28 || 8:00 a.m. || JLOB Rm A
• • Initiative 2113 to remove certain restrictions on when police officers may engage in vehicular pursuits.
  • • Hearing:         Joint Senate Law & Justice Committee || House Community Safety, Justice & Reentry Committees
• || Wednesday, February 28 || 9:00 a.m. || JAC Rm 4

The Legislature may approve the initiatives – which they have said is unlikely – or send them to voters.  If an initiative is rejected by the Legislature or the Legislature takes no action by the end of the session on Thursday, March 7, the Secretary of State will certify the initiative for the next November 5, 2024, General Election.  

We will keep you updated on important and relevant legislation throughout the session.  If you are wanting or asked to testify on a bill, please click this link on instructions and helpful hints on the testimony process.

2024.02.23 - HB 1589 Alction Alert.pdf

OPPOSE

HB 1589 –Banning Natural Gas through Gas Companies

Executive Session:               Friday, February 16 at 8:00 a.m. 

Urging all Members to Contact Members of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee to OPPOSE HB 1589

Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee Executive Session 

(Vote out of Committee) on 

Friday, January 16 at 8:00 a.m. ||

JA Cherberg Building Room 1

HB 1589 - Banning Natural Gas through Gas Companies 

•  Gas companies with more than 500,000 customers are prohibited from providing natural gas service to any residential or commercial customer who did not have or receive an application by June 30, 2023.
• Allows limited exemptions for certain types of facilities.
• Directs the Utilities and Transportation Commission to adopt numerous rules to implement. 
• Washington storage owners rely on natural gas heating to prevent fire suppression wet systems from freezing during frigid winter weather conditions.
• Most heated self-storage facilities in the state of facilities rely on natural gas as fuel source to keep its buildings heated.
• Washington storage customers rely on natural gas-heated storage units to keep their possessions dry and safe during our wet winter months.
• Passing this legislation will jeopardize storage owners and customers across the state.

EFFECT: Imposing a natural gas ban will increase the cost of new middle housing between $6,200 to $13,100 more per unit. This doesn't include the annual operating costs of using natural gas which is one-third of the cost of electricity. The measure appears to violate the Federal preemption under the Ninth Circuit ruling in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley.

• Natural gas monthly utility bills are a third less expensive than electrical utility bills.
• 1.3 million Washington homes use natural gas in Washington State. 
• Washingtonians are already struggling with affordable energy. According to the state Department of Commerce programs for energy assistance, 64% of PSE customers said they struggle to pay their energy bills each month. 
• During public hearings on this proposal last year, PSE noted that 35-40% of their customers are "energy burdened," struggling to pay for current energy costs. Higher prices will be passed onto all other ratepayers. Working families will be faced with making tough spending decisions on housing, food, and health care when energy costs soar. 
• HB 1589 will increase all PSE electric and natural gas customers' rates.
• 200,000 businesses and institutions rely on natural gas for their energy needs. House Bill 1589 would ensure those businesses pay more for energy, increasing costs for everyone.

Sponsors:  Representatives: Doglio, Fitzgibbon, Berry, Alvarado, Bateman, Ramel, Peterson, Lekanoff, Hackney, Macri, Kloba

STATUS HB:                 Senate Environment Committee (Passed House 52-44)

Executive Session:       Friday, February 16 at 8:00 a.m. 

Please also contact the members of the

Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee Urging them to OPPOSE Banning Natural Gas through Gas Companies

HB 1589 

Please take action right away.  

Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee

Name

District

Party

Office

Phone

Email

Matt Boehnke	8	R	LMB 117	(360) 786-7614	matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov
Liz Lovelett, Vice Chair	40	D	JAC 233	(360) 786-7678	liz.lovelett@leg.wa.gov
John Lovick	44	D	JAC 226	(360) 786-7686	john.lovick@leg.wa.gov
Drew MacEwen, Ranking Member	35	R	LMB 115	(360) 786-7668	drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov
Joe Nguyen, Chair	34	D	JAC 235	(360) 786-7667	joe.nguyen@leg.wa.gov
Shelly Short	7	R	LEG 409	(360) 786-7612	shelly.short@leg.wa.gov
Yasmin Trudeau	27	D	JAC 227	(360) 786-7652	yasmin.trudeau@leg.wa.gov
Lisa Wellman	41	D	JAC 224	(360) 786-7641	lisa.wellman@leg.wa.gov

 

Jan 1 2024 WA-SSA Bill Status and Upcoming Events Report.pdf

2023 Legislative Session Update

Report shared by our Lobbyists:

Today marks the 75^th day of the 2023 Legislative session in Olympia.  Our next cutoff comes on Wednesday, March 29 which is the last day to read in committee reports (pass bills out of committee and read them into the record on the floor) from opposite house, except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.

Earlier this week the revenue forecast for Washington’s projected Near General Fund revenue collections for the 2023–25 state budgets have decreased by about $483 million. The projection represents about a 0.7% drop from the number forecast last November. Total Near General Fund revenues are nowprojected at $65.7 billion for the next two-year state budget cycle, which begins July 1, 2023.  Steve Lerch, executive director of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council explained,

“Although overall revenue collections have been above expectations, lower personal income and residential construction forecasts result in lower revenue in the 2023-25 and 2025-27 biennia.”

Lately the Legislature has been seeing revenue forecasts showing additional funding so this negative forecast will slow some spending as budgets continue to roll out next week.  Earlier this week we saw Senate proposals for a Capital Budget and Operating Budget.  A general overview is listed below.

We have 30 days left until the session concludes on Sunday, April 23.

Attached is an updated report of top priority bills that we are tracking.

Read the full report here

2022 recap

WA-SSA Legislative Major Accomplishments through 2022.pdf

2022.05.22 - WA-SSA Legislative Update PowerPoint.pdf