Legislative Updates: the last 2 weeks of the Washington State 2021 Session and important legislation newly submitted to the US Congress about Big Oil on Federal Lands
The next two weeks of the Washington State Legislature will be focused on:
- Concurring of bills: Bills need concurrence, or acceptance by, the chamber of origin when an amendment(s) has been added by the other chamber. If there is not concurrence, then a bill is in dispute and goes to a conference committee. The majority of bills do get concurred, are signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, and then move to the governor for his signature or a rare veto.
- Hearings and voting of bills designated NTIB (necessary to implement budget). This typically refers to revenue and tax exemption bills, such as the proposed capital gains tax and the working families tax exemption, as well as the budget itself. This label is used liberally to prevent legislation from dying. For example, SB 5096 Capital Gains.
- Final budget negotiations for Operating, Transportation, and Capital budgets
- Governor signing bills into law: This week, more bills from FAN’s legislative agenda were signed into law!
SB 5096 Capital Gains – Passed in the House Finance Committee on Friday. (FAN) Faith Action Network has a prefilled letter you can mail to your representatives to let them know why you support this important economic justice bill and ask if they do as well. Email your Representatives
Police reform bills:
- HB 1054 Prohibiting certain police tactics – the House doesn’t like the Senate Amendments and will confer.
- HB 1267 Establishing the Office for Independent Investigations – has passed both chambers with amendments and will go to Governor Inslee to sign.
- HB 1310 Police use of force – the House didn’t agree with the amendments so they will confer.
The week of April 26th will look much the same as coming week. The last day of session to get all NTIB bills voted on, concurred, and final budgets adopted is Sunday, April 25th.
New National Bill to Protect Our Public Lands and the Environment
For decades, the federal government has allowed the fossil fuel industry to drill on public lands. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-2) have reintroduced the Keep It in the Ground Act today, which would end new fossil fuel leasing on federal lands and waters. The extraction and burning of fossil fuels on public lands and waters account for nearly a quarter of U.S. climate emissions. This new bill will not only stop new leases for coal, oil, gas, oil shale, and tar sands drilling on federal lands, but it will also make sure that over 90% of the potential carbon emissions from oil, gas, and coal on our federal lands and waters stay in the ground.
This bill is endorsed by Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, WildEarth Guardians, Oil Change International, Greenpeace US, 350.org, and New York Lawyers for the Public Trust. (April 14, 2021)
You can let you Congressional Representatives know that you believe that Federal Lands are not for private oil companies to get rich off.
To communicate about this bill with our U.S. Senators from Washington State, click on the links below.
Maria Cantwell, US Senator: https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email
Patty Murry, US Senator: https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme
To find your representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative