Environment

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5838: Adding a tribal member to the board of natural resources.

SB 5838 amends Washington State law to add a seventh member to the Board of Natural Resources, specifically a tribal representative. This representative must be a member of a federally recognized tribe in Washington, appointed by the governor after consulting with tribes, and serve a four-year term. The change directly affects the board's composition and decision-making process regarding natural resources management. The bill requires the governor to collaborate with tribes during the appointment and specifies that the tribal representative joins existing members like the governor's designee and county representatives. This adjustment aims to integrate tribal perspectives into natural resource decisions, as stated in the bill's findings.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAdds tribal representative to natural resources board, enhancing environmental decision-making through inclusive representation75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

Track

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5941: Allowing limited exemptions to renewable energy systems requirements for certain school districts.

SB 5941 allows small school districts (with 500 or fewer students) in specific rural counties to be exempt from requiring renewable energy systems (like solar panels) in new school buildings over 10,000 square feet. The bill requires the state building code council to create this exemption by January 1, 2027, without forcing districts to meet additional energy efficiency requirements to qualify. It directly affects eligible school districts in counties designated as one climate zone under existing law, such as Adams, Benton, and Yakima. The exemption applies only to new construction or major additions, not existing buildings.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyAllows exemptions from renewable energy requirements for small rural schools, weakening mandatory clean energy adoption standards.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill exempts rural school districts from renewable energy requirements, weakening environmental standards for new school buildings.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

Track

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5203: Ensuring connectivity for Washington wildlife through safe passages.

SB 5203 requires Washington's Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Transportation to develop and implement a statewide plan for protecting wildlife habitat corridors and building safe crossings (like overpasses and underpasses) to reduce animal-vehicle collisions. The bill creates a dedicated funding account, the Washington wildlife corridors account, which uses state funds and private donations to support projects such as land conservation, habitat restoration, and removing barriers like fences in key corridors. It mandates collaboration with tribes, federal agencies, and conservation groups, and requires annual reports on spending and progress toward reducing collisions (which cost over $74 million yearly). The law aims to protect habitats fragmented by development and climate change while improving highway safety.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates habitat corridor protection, funds conservation/restoration, and reduces wildlife collisions through infrastructure projects, directly advancing environmental conservation.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRequires safe crossings (overpasses/underpasses) to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, directly enhancing road safety infrastructure and transportation safety.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

Track

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5360: Concerning environmental crimes.

Senate Bill 5360 establishes new criminal offenses related to water pollution in Washington state, affecting individuals and various entities, including government agencies. The bill defines three degrees of violation for the water pollution control act, differentiating them by the level of intent and harm. A first-degree violation involves knowingly causing imminent danger, a second-degree violation involves knowingly violating without imminent danger, and a third-degree violation involves negligent violations. Each degree carries specific penalties, ranging from a Class B felony for the first degree to a gross misdemeanor for the third degree.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes criminal penalties for water pollution violations, strengthening enforcement of environmental protections through defined degrees of intent and harm.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

Track

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2367: Eliminating preferential treatment related to a coal-fired electric generating plant.

HB 2367 eliminates special reporting exemptions for coal-fired power plants in Washington State's emissions tracking system. It amends reporting thresholds to remove preferential treatment, requiring coal plants to follow the same emissions reporting rules as other large emitters (like natural gas suppliers or railroads) once they exceed 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually. The bill repeals previous sections (RCW 82.08.811 and 82.12.811) that provided this preferential treatment, directly affecting coal-fired electricity generators by ending their distinct reporting pathway. This change ensures coal plants are subject to the same compliance obligations as other covered entities under the state's emissions program.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyEliminates exemptions for coal plants, requiring emissions reporting like other large emitters, reducing fossil fuel advantages and aligning with cleaner energy standards.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRemoves preferential emissions reporting exemptions for coal plants, requiring full tracking like other large emitters, strengthening environmental oversight and transparency.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2554: Recognizing judicially affirmed and treaty-reserved fishing rights and promoting state-tribal cooperative agreements in the management of salmon, trout, and steelhead resources.

HB 2554 repeals five sections of Washington State law (RCW 77.110.010-040 and 900) that conflicted with judicially confirmed tribal fishing rights and existing state-tribal cooperative agreements. The bill directly affects tribal nations and state fisheries management by removing outdated legal barriers. It eliminates provisions that declared state policy on fish management, denied rights based on cultural heritage, and required congressional transmittal, aligning state law with treaty obligations and current cooperative agreements for salmon, trout, and steelhead resources.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill removes legal barriers to tribal-state cooperative management of salmon/trout resources, directly conserving natural fish populations through aligned fisheries management.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1837: Establishing intercity passenger rail improvement priorities.

HB 1837 establishes specific improvement priorities for the Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger rail service, aiming to enhance the state's transportation system. It mandates the Washington State Department of Transportation to work towards target goals by 2035, including increasing on-time performance to 88% and boosting daily round trips between Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The department must also improve multimodal connections at stations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the bill requires the department to report annually on its progress and directs the Joint Transportation Committee to conduct an independent review of the Amtrak Cascades service development plan.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly mandates GHG emissions reduction through rail service improvements, aligning with environmental protection goals.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates improved Amtrak Cascades rail service goals, including increased daily trips, 88% on-time performance, and reduced emissions, directly advancing public transit infrastructure.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1293: Concerning litter.

HB 1293 aims to reduce litter and plastic waste across Washington State, affecting individuals and retail establishments. The bill enhances penalties for littering, reclassifying offenses and establishing mandatory clean-up restitution payments based on the volume of litter. It also delays the requirement for reusable plastic carryout bags to be thicker and increases the pass-through charge for these bags. Furthermore, the bill imposes a new penalty on retailers for selling thicker plastic bags, directing these funds to a waste reduction and litter control account.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill reduces litter/plastic waste via enhanced penalties, mandatory clean-up payments, and increased bag charges, directly advancing pollution control and environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1462: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrofluorocarbons.

HB 1462 aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by regulating hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in Washington state. It prohibits the sale or distribution of new bulk HFCs with a global warming potential (GWP) exceeding 1,500 starting January 1, 2030, and exceeding 750 starting January 1, 2033. The bill encourages the use of reclaimed HFCs and establishes a task force to study the transition to climate-friendly refrigerants and enhance recovery and reclamation. This legislation primarily affects businesses involved in selling, distributing, or using HFCs in equipment such as refrigeration and air conditioning.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill regulates high-GWP HFCs in refrigeration (energy infrastructure), promotes climate-friendly alternatives, and reduces emissions - aligning with clean energy transition goals.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRegulates HFCs with high GWP to reduce emissions, promotes climate-friendly alternatives, and establishes task force for transition - directly advances environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 2003: Concerning the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program.

HB 2003 establishes a temporary Columbia River recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program, effective January 1, 2026. Individuals 15 years or older will need to purchase this endorsement, costing $7.50 for adults and $6 for youth/seniors, to recreationally fish for salmon or steelhead in designated Columbia River areas. Funds collected will be deposited into a new account to support selective fishing opportunities, including monitoring, hatchery production, pinniped removal, and enforcement. The Department of Fish and Wildlife, with stakeholders, must review the program and provide a continuation recommendation to the legislature by December 2026. All provisions of this program are set to expire on January 1, 2028.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds from endorsements support salmon/steelhead conservation through monitoring, hatchery production, and pinniped removal, directly advancing fishery resource management and protection.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment