Feb 15 Hot List - State House

POSSIBLE HOUSE FLOOR ACTION

2SHB 1165: Providing safe collection and disposal of unwanted drugs from residential sources.

POSITION: SUPPORT

• Creates statewide medicine return program provided by drug producers to support law enforcement efforts to reduce prescription drug abuse, support public health efforts to reduce accidental poisonings, and keep waste medicines out of our waters.
• Important public safety and environmental protection measure supported by WACOPS and more than 70 other organizations.
  
  

SHB 1534: Concerning water well construction requirements.

POSITION: SUPPORT

• There are over 400,000 permit-exempt wells in Washington and thousands of new wells are drilled every year. The recent proliferation of permit-exempt wells increases conflicts between junior permit-exempt users and senior water rights.
• The bill provides a more reliable water supply to new developments by improving coordination and preventing withdrawals from unnecessary permit-exempt wells that may be shut off if the wells impair senior water rights.
  
  

HB 1653: Clarifying the integration of the shoreline management act policies with the growth management act.

POSITION: SUPPORT the Simpson Striker

• In 2003, interests representing business, agricultural, environmental, and local governments agreed on a law to clarify how and when existing protections apply on the state’s shorelands. In 2008 the Supreme Court issued a split decision causing confusion as to the status of that agreement.
• This striker restores the 2003 agreement and is supported by the associations of cities, counties, ports, & business, the Farm Bureau, environmental community and the state agencies.
  
  

SHB 2416: Establishing energy efficiency standards for consumer products.

POSITION: SUPPORT

• This bill adopts efficiency standards for consumer products including televisions.
• In 2020, these efficiency standards will save Washington energy consumers about $24.8 million per year. Energy savings will be an estimated 45 annual average megawatts – equal to the average output of about 60 wind turbines.
  
  

SHB 2471: Concerning net metering of electricity.

POSITION: SUPPORT

• This bill expands and strengthens WA’s current net-metering law to facilitate the development of customer-generated electricity from renewable energy.
• Customer generated renewable energy provides important local, national, and global benefits to the environment and the economy.
  
  

HB 2855: Providing financing options for the operations and capital needs of transit agencies.

POSITION: SUPPORT

• Will provide temporary local taxing authority to stave off drastic cuts in transit service across the state.
• Sets up long-term stakeholder process within the Joint Transportation Committee to address sustainable long term options for funding transit.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ACTION

HB 3181: The Clean Water Act of 2010 funding cleanup of water pollution and other programs necessary for the health and well-being of Washington citizens through an increase in the hazardous substance tax.

Capital Budget: Public hearing and Possible Executive Session

POSITION: SUPPORT

• HB 3181 will put Washington back to work. By increasing the existing tax on Hazardous Substances (levied on petroleum and other toxic chemicals), the state can raise $450 million per biennium to fund job-creating clean water projects in every district and temporarily provide much needed dollars for the General Fund.
• This bill will create jobs, rebuild local economies, and clean up polluted waterways like Puget Sound and the Spokane River. It is supported by environmentalists, labor, local governments, and the Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition.
  
  

SSB 6248: Regarding the use of bisphenol A. (a.k.a. The Safe Baby Bottle Act)

Environmental Health: Possible Executive Session

POSITION: SUPPORT with Amendment by Rep. Dickerson

• The House version of the Safe Baby Bottle Bill (2SHB 1180) passed the House 95-1 and included a ban on BPA in sports water bottles.
• Please support Rep. Dickerson's amendment that will put sports water bottles back into the bill. Sports water bottles are used by children and pregnant women. A 2009 Harvard study found that drinking from a polycarbonate water bottle increases BPA levels by up to 69%. The Departments of Ecology and Health support banning BPA in sports water bottles because there are safer alternatives.

SSB 6350: Relating to marine waters planning and management.

Agriculture and Natural Resources: Public hearing

POSITION: SUPPORT

• This bill establishes a interagency planning process to better coordinate federal, state, and local government management programs designed to protect marine ecosystems and fisheries in Puget Sound and in the open ocean.

SSB 6557: Limiting the use of certain substances in brake friction material.

Environmental Health: Public hearing

Position: SUPPORT

This bill calls for the eventual phase-out of auto brake-pads containing copper. Copper is a very significant pollutant in