The festival of bill signing draws to a close

Plus a sparing use of the veto pen

We’re getting to the end of the annual festival of bill-signing. Gov. Jay Inslee’s at the University of Washington’s Center for Behavioral Health and Learning today to act on the state’s operating and capital budgets, as well as a raft of behavioral health legislation. Here’s a look at some recent noteworthy signings, and a couple of partial vetoes. 

The Puget Sound Energy gas bill survives intact

On Thursday, Inslee signed House Bill 1589, sponsored by House Environment & Energy Chair Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, which is aimed at making it easier for Puget Sound Energy¹ to transition customers from natural gas to electricity. This was one of the most controversial bills of the session, passing in the wee hours of the morning in the Legislature’s final days. 

Expect fewer pipe installation projects like this one. (Photo courtesy of Puget Sound Energy.)

Republicans locked up against it, arguing it was a backdoor ban on natural gas and a sweetheart deal for the state’s largest utility that would fall heavily on ratepayers. Inslee shrugged off calls to veto a provision of the bill that allows PSE to recoup the cost of its existing gas network faster, which will likely mean higher bills for ratepayers. PSE faces tough emission-reduction targets mandated by the Clean Energy Transformation Act, which passed in 2019. Look for this to be an issue in the fall campaigns. Eight Democrats, including some in vulnerable districts, voted “no” on final passage in the House.  

PQ

Read on for more bill action and some minor vetoes…