Regular Legislative Session Concludes Without Passing Major Bills

"Pirates" seized control and the 2009 Legislative Session ended with fireworks but little action on the big environmental bills. 

For the first time in years the environmentalists ended up on the defensive. They reached too far with a noble agenda, but an agenda that put too many of their own special interest groups ahead of what was best for Washington State. 

Nonetheless, homeowners and the business community can take little satisfaction from the Session because the bad economy and not any new organizational approach to environmental issues, was the primary reason for any successes.  In fact conflict between major industry players and other special interests continued to plague their efforts and cost them their biggest opportunity.

Environmental issues dominated the final two days of the 2009 Legislative Session as Clark and Pierce County legislators, the "Pirates," held a number of bills hostage, demanding equitable treatment in the Renewable Energy Bill, Senate Bill 5840.  They were angry after the two counties were excluded in the bill from new protections for utility bill payers in other counties.  In the end the bill died.

When the smoke cleared even the top priority of the environmental community, the Governor's watered-down Cap &Trade bill, Senate Bill 5735, had failed to pass.   The other three environmental community priorities were a mixed bag.  House Bill1490 and the two big initiatives in that bill died, but other parts while amended on to other bills, morphed into less mandatory language before final passage.  Senate Bill 5854, requiring new buildings to meet strict new energy requirements, passed but included some significant changes. In a remarkable battle in the last 24 hours, House Bill 1614 that would have added a four cents per gallon petroleum fee to gasoline and other products for Puget Sound clean-up, passed the House but died in the Senate.

Stay tuned as the Governor prepares to call a Special Session for the middle of May.