2023 legislative review
those AWB members requested we change position to oppose . This way the first case of an appeal was brought using AWB ’ s new policies and procedures for appeals . That process moved AWB to a position of opposing the bill . The bill did not receive a vote on the senate floor . The issue of how utilities and customers deal with the costs of the Legislature ’ s recent environmental policies will not go away , especially as the costs of these policies continue to increase .
environment bills
HB 1131 / SB 5154 reducing waste
Failed / AWB Opposed sponsors : Rep . Liz Berry , D-Seattle and Sen . Christine Rolfes , D-Bainbridge Island
The Washington Recycling and Packaging ( WRAP ) Act was introduced in the Senate by Sen . Christine Rolfes , D-Bainbridge Island , and in the House by Rep . Liz Berry ,
D-Seattle . The latest attempt to create an extended producer responsibility ( EPR ) for waste materials was an overly bureaucratic and complex bill that put more barriers on commerce and made it more difficult to increase recycling rates . The bill had three parts : a difficult-to-implement EPR , an expanded post-consumer content requirement and a deposit return system that proved controversial . Neither bill received a vote in its house of origin .
HB 1047 toxic cosmetics
Passed / AWB Opposed sponsor : Rep . Sharlett Mena , D-Tacoma
Rep . Sharlett Mena , D-Tacoma , sponsored This bill bans certain specific chemicals found in some types of cosmetics . Generally AWB was okay with the vast majority of this bill , with two exceptions . First was the issue of state regulation for products already regulated by the FDA . The other was the issue of formaldehyde releasing agents or FRAs . These are antifungal and antimicrobial materials that are put into cosmetics like lotions , creams , shampoos and conditioners to extend the shelf life and safety of these products . FRAs have not been banned by California or the European Union , making this bill the most strict in the world . Ultimately , a special rulemaking process was created for the Department of Ecology to further look at FRAs . AWB opposed that , since it duplicates a process already outlined in the state ’ s 2019 Safer Products for Washington law . The bill passed the Senate 28-20 and the House 56-40 .
HB 1085 plastic pollution
Passed / AWB Supported sponsor : Rep . Sharlett Mena , D-Tacoma
This bill would ban the use of single-use hospital items ( think hotel shampoos ). It also bans banded polystyrene dock modules — basically docks filled with foam to float — in favor of plastic or hollow tanks . While
Rep . Peter Abbarno , R-Centralia , is a member of the House Environment & Energy Committee .
22 association of washington business