OLYMPIA, Wash. – A bill which would further commit Washington State to transitioning away from carbon emitting energies is now awaiting Governor Jay Inslee’s signature.
HB 1589 would require the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to make utility company energy output reporting more efficient, and would transition the state to electric home appliances.
While the bill received support from the majority of Democratic lawmakers in the state legislature, Washington Republicans have been broadly critical of the bill.
“House Bill 1589…will pave the way to ban natural gas and dramatically increase energy bills,” the House Republican Caucus said on social media.
Energy production stakeholders were split on the policy. Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy both testified in support of the bill. The Intermountain Power Producers Coalition, an advocacy organization representing power producers, testified in opposition.
Now that it awaits the governor’s signature, Jay Inslee will decide whether HB 1589 becomes session law in the coming weeks.
