Balanced solutions supported by House Republicans that have a meaningful impact on our environment:
- House Bill 1095 (2015) requires energy-consumption analyses for certain public facilities to assess the feasibility of combined heat and power (thermal energy efficiency upgrades), and requires combined heat and power to be considered in utility Integrated Resource Plans, among other provisions. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1115 (2015) | The capital budget includes the Clean Energy Fund, a $40 million investment over the next biennium that enables a mix of projects administered by Commerce’s State Energy Office. Funding will support development, demonstration and deployment of clean energy technologies that save energy and reduce energy costs, reduce harmful air emissions or otherwise increase energy independence for the state. This is the second stage of the Clean Energy Fund. The first stage was deployed in the 2013-15 capital budget. The capital budget also deals with fish barrier removal. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1449 (2015) | The Oil Train Transportation Safety Act. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1695 (2015) establishes a priority for the use, reuse and recycling of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1758 (2015) would have extended the expiration date of tax preferences for biofuel, biomass and energy conservation. The bill passed out of the House Technology and Economic Development Committee 13-0, but Democratic opposition did not allow it to move out of the House Finance Committee.
- House Bill 1853 (2015) allows investor-owned utilities to receive an incentive rate of return (a 2 percent kicker) for capital deployed toward qualifying electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Rep. Chad Magendanz was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1897 (2015) creates a multi-institution research collaborative (Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth-Abundant Materials/JCDREAM) to drive research and deployment of materials that can substitute for rare-earth elements in the manufacturing of renewable energy technology. Rep. Norma Smith was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1912 (2015) would have extended solar cost-recovery incentives for a decade and allowed solar third-party leasing companies to access the cost recovery credit. While we did have a few members who did not support this bill, Democratic opposition did not allow it to move out of the House Finance Committee.
- House Bill 1998 (2015) would have allowed public utility districts to produce and sell renewable natural gas. Rep. Norm Johnson was the prime sponsor. Passed out of the House 98-0, but died in the Senate.
- House Bill 2093 (2015) addresses wildland fire suppression. Rep. Joel Kretz was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- House Bill 2225 (2015) would have directed the UTC to conduct a comprehensive and transparent study of the available regulatory options to close the older units at the coal-fired electric generation facility at Colstrip, Montana that serves PSE customers through the lens of impact on ratepayers of these options. Rep. Norma Smith was the prime sponsor. Never received a hearing in the House Technology and Economic Development Committee.
- Senate Bill 5577 (2015) requires the Department of Ecology to convene a workgroup to identify problems with properly managing pharmaceutical waste and develop recommendations. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5735 (2015) would have provided incentives for carbon reduction investments. Democratic opposition did not allow it to move out of the House Technology and Economic Development Committee.
- Senate Bill 5987 (2015) extends the alternative fuel vehicle-sales-tax credit and creates a $1 million revolving fund for electric vehicle infrastructure (Sections 407-409). Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5995 (2015) amends the transportation policy goal of mobility to include improving congestion relief and freight mobility. The fewer hours a car is spending idling on a highway, the fewer emissions go into the air. Signed into law.
- House Bill 2251 (2014) provides direction as to how fish passage barriers are to be addressed, including the establishment of fish passage barrier removal principles. Rep. J.T. Wilcox was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1141 (2013) establishes a water pollution control revolving administration account. Rep. Norma Smith was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1245 (2013) addresses derelict and abandoned vessels in state waters. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5296 (2013) reforms the state’s toxic-cleanup program and accelerates the clean-up of hundreds of contaminated industrial and commercial sites throughout the state. Signed into law.
- House Bill 2440 (2012) authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to provide wildfire protection services for public lands managed by state agencies. Rep. J.T. Wilcox was the prime sponsor. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5661 (2012) addresses derelict fishing gear and removing legacy nets. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5271 (2011) addresses derelict and abandoned vessels in state waters. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5769 (2011) addresses a coal-fired electric generation facility (TransAlta). Signed into law.
- House Bill 2647 (2008) | Children’s Safe Products Act. Signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5225 (2007) modifies gas and hazardous liquid pipeline provisions. Signed into law.
- House Bill 1761 (2007) accelerates the cleanup of Puget Sound and hazardous waste and waste sites. Signed into law.
