The Legislative Session concluded on April 25, and what a session it was! Seeing how constituents in the Earth Ministry community adapted to participate in the online format was a testament to our collective commitment to democracy. Thank you for taking action from afar to support policies for environmental justice!
We’re thrilled to share that our two top priorities passed, as well as three of the bills on our supplemental list! See Earth Ministry’s legislative webpage for more details.
HEAL Act – SB 5141
Passing the HEAL Act is a massive win with sweeping implications for a just transition. This legislation will require state agencies to apply environmental justice principles and practices to future policies and programs. It incorporates community engagement and establishes an Environmental Justice Council with majority representation from overburdened communities. Many thanks to our partners at Front & Centered who led this multi-year effort to ensure accountability to frontline communities.
Clean Fuel Standard – HB 1091
In the final hours of the session, legislators got a clean fuel standard over the finish line! This climate action requires fuel producers to sell a cleaner product or invest in clean, low-carbon choices such as electricity and local, sustainable biofuels to power our transportation. The final version of the bill requires a 20% reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2038, which will benefit our climate, clean our air, and help spur jobs in the local, green economy.
Clean Cars 2030 – Originally HB 1204, amended onto HB 1287
We passed the most ambitious gas car phase-out target in the USA! All new light-duty vehicles of model year 2030 or later will have to be electric to be registered in Washington. This is also the first gas car phase-out target to be passed into law by a state legislature.
Billy Frank Jr. Statue – HB 1372
A statue of Nisqually Tribal member and fishing rights activist Billy Frank Jr. will now represent Washington State in the National Statuary Hall. This honor recognizes all that Billy Frank Jr. did to advocate for tribal treaty rights, restoration of salmon, and co-management of natural resources by Native nations.
Plastics Reduction and Recycling – SB 5022
This bill will result in increased recycling and an overall reduction of plastic packaging and products. It establishes a recycled content standard (requiring bottles to be made of more postconsumer recycled plastic), bans an expanded list of styrofoam products, and requires restaurants to only provide single-use utensils upon request.
We acknowledge that there has been much conversation around the Climate Commitment Act, SB 5126. Earth Ministry did not support this legislation at the request of our partners at Front and Centered, the largest coalition of communities of color-led groups in the Pacific Northwest. They have repeatedly raised concerns about the mechanism of cap and trade that, as we’ve seen in California, exacerbates harm in frontline communities already overburdened with pollution. You can read more in this post by Front and Centered as well as in their legislative recap. Earth Ministry believes that while the climate crisis is a moral crisis, how we respond to it is also a moral issue. We are disappointed that this policy and its process did not reflect our values of justice, equity, and inclusion and will now look toward helping to minimize harm in its implementation.
Once again, thank you for following along and showing up to put your faith into action throughout this legislative session. Your faithful advocacy really did contribute to these exciting wins for our environment and communities!
Onward,
Jessica Zimmerle (she/her)
Program & Outreach Director
