AWC Legislative Bulletin - 04/24/2007  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
What You Need to Know Now
From the Director: Session Ends – Good Year for Cities
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations
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AWC Legislative Contacts & Officers

Energy & Telecommunications

The following bills have been forwarded to the Governor for signature. Please see last week’s Bulletin for more information.

Water Power License Fees (SSB 5881)

The bill will raise the Department of Ecology’s annual license fees imposed upon water used for power development. It has been many decades since the fees were increased. Any city generating hydropower will be impacted by the change in fees. The bill has been forwarded to the Governor for signature.

Authorizing Utilities to Engage in Environmental Mitigation Efforts (SHB 1929)

This bill authorizes cities and public utility districts to mitigate the environmental impacts of their energy operation and power purchases as well as operation from the following utilities: water, sewerage, storm water, surface water, or solid waste handling. Authorized mitigation activities would include offsetting the impact of greenhouse gas emissions In addition, the bill authorizes counties to mitigate the environmental impacts from their utilities or other ratepayer funded activities. The bill is in response to a recent court case, Okeson v. City of Seattle, where the court ruled the city electric utility did not have the authority to engage in this activity. This bill has been sent to the Governor for signature.

Scrap Metal Theft (ESSB 5312)

The House and Senate each passed a different version of this bill: the House made a number of technical changes and added some exceptional sentence language, the Senate declined to increase the sentencing and did not make the technical changes. A conference committee was convened and language relating to the differences was agreed to.

Cities, utilities, and many other interest groups worked hard to get this legislation passed in a condition that would have a meaningful impact on the scrap metal theft problem. The bill as it passed the legislature does the following:

  • Requires scrap metal recycling businesses to keep records and take identification.
  • Requires sellers to sign a declaration that the property is not stolen.
  • Requires scrap metal recycling businesses to report metal property they believe to be stolen, and to hold property intact if asked by law enforcement.
  • Imposes new penalties.

The next step is the Governor’s office for her review and signature.