The current proposal to impose a costly new fuel mandate for Washington – called a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) – was introduced prior to the opening of the 2021 regular legislative session. The Washington State Legislature moved forward House Bill 1091 and in January and February testimony on the bill was heard in three House committees – Environment & Energy (Jan. 14 and Jan. 15), Appropriations (Feb. 4), and Transportation (Feb. 16). All hearings were conducted remotely because of pandemic restrictions. During these hearings, the number of individuals signing in to voice opposition to HB 1091 outnumbered those in favor by more than 2-to-1.
On February 27, during a Saturday session, HB 1091 was debated on the floor of the House. The House passed HB 1091, 52-46, and is currently scheduled for a first hearing in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee – March 10, 2021, 8:00 AM.
The official website of the Washington State Legislature maintains tracking of bill status, links to video and records of committee hearings and floor activity, links to forms for public comment on the proposal, and related documents. Click below to access the current text of the legislative proposal, and the legislature’s most current information for HB 1091.