The 2023 Washington state legislative session ended April 23. Thanks in part to the faithful advocacy of the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community we have a lot to celebrate!
Here’s how our priority bills and budget items ended up:
Wins
*Indicates top priority bill for Earth Ministry/WAIPL
*Climate in the Growth Management Act (GMA): HB 1181
The largest and fastest-growing counties and cities will now be required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled through land use planning. All counties planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA) are now required to plan for resilience and to address the impacts of climate change in land use plans. Gov. Inslee signed HB 1181 this week.
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*Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act: HB 1047
Lead, PFAS, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, and phthalates will be banned in cosmetics and personal care products sold in WA by 2025. WA now has the strongest law in the country regulating toxic chemicals in beauty and personal care products. This is an important environmental justice issue as many of these toxic products are marketed to women of color.
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Preventing High Heat Disconnections: HB 1329
Prohibits water and energy utility disconnections during days expected to have very high temperatures and reconnects customers who have been previously disconnected during these high-heat events. This is a crucial protection now in place for our communities as our state continues to warm.
Lower Snake River Salmon Recovery Budget Priorities
Funding was included in the state budget for a transportation study to look at alternatives to barging on the Lower Snake River, an irrigation analysis, and an energy plan. These plans are the concrete next steps to recover salmon, restore the lower Snake River, maintain clean energy and agriculture in the region, and ensure that all communities that depend on the Snake River are made whole.
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Investing in Climate Action Budget Priorities
2023 is the first year WA will spend revenue generated through the state’s new cap and invest law, the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). According to our partners at Front & Centered, “A core component of environmental justice is the participation of communities in the decisions that impact their health and their future. The final budget reflects this by including investments in participatory budgeting ($36.6 million) and community capacity grants ($26.3 million) to help boost the participation of our frontline communities in the implementation of the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act and application of the state’s Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) Map.”
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Ongoing Work
Several of our top priority bills were not passed this year and we look forward to showing continued strong faith community support for them in the future. We remain hopeful about the future passage of both of these bills.
*Environmental Justice in the Growth Management Act (GMA): SB 5651
Would have required that both environmental justice and climate change are explicitly addressed in local comprehensive planning with specific goals, progress reports, and measures to reduce impacts and disparities. Also includes better, more equitable public participation requirements and funding. SB 5651 was put forward by Front & Centered and didn’t make it out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
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*Washington Recycling and Packaging Act (WRAP): HB 1131
This act would have created a set of graduated fees on packaging manufacturers based on how readily reusable, compostable, or recyclable their products are. These fees will be used to fund improvements in infrastructure, provide uniform access for residents across the state, and create a clear list of what people can recycle. This bill will have the added benefit of shifting recycling costs away from ratepayers and onto manufacturers. Under a producer responsibility program, manufacturers and brands will come together to reduce unnecessary packaging and paper, fund statewide recycling services, and ensure that materials are actually recycled. HB 1131 faced a lot of industry opposition and was a top priority of the Environmental Priorities Coalition.
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