Washington 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 2 R · 1 D cosponsors

SB 5305 — Concerning electric utility wildland fire prevention.

Last action — Effective date 7/28/2019.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 17, 2019. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 7 sponsors

    1 primary, 6 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (2 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to SB 5305 has made a few notable changes. The most significant alteration is the removal of references to representatives from small and industrial forestland owners on the wildland fire prevention task force, narrowing the group to primarily electric utility representatives. Additionally, while the task force's role and the overall framework for wildfire prevention remain intact, this change may reduce the diversity of perspectives in discussions about preventing wildfires related to utility infrastructure. This matters because a broader range of voices could lead to more comprehensive strategies for wildfire risk reduction, potentially enhancing community safety and environmental protection.

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S-1601.1SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5305State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionBySenate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Van De Wege, Warnick, McCoy, Takko, Short, Sheldon, and Nguyen)READ FIRST TIME 02/15/19.AN ACT Relating to electric utility wildland fire prevention;
S-0694.1SENATE BILL 5305State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionBySenators Van De Wege, Warnick, McCoy, Takko, Short, Sheldon, and NguyenRead first time 01/17/19.Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks.AN ACT Relating to electric utility wildland fire prevention;
and adding a new section to chapter 76.04 RCW.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:NEW SECTION.  Sec.
and adding new sections to chapter 76.04 RCW.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:NEW SECTION.  Sec.
Task force membership should include:(a) Entities providing retail electric service, including:(i) One person representing each investor-owned utility;(ii) Two persons representing municipal utilities;(iii) Two persons representing public utility districts;(iv) Two persons representing rural electric cooperatives;(v) One person representing small forestland owners;(vi) One person representing industrial forestland owners;
Task force membership should include:(a) Entities providing retail electric service, including:(i) One person representing each investor-owned utility;(ii) Two persons representing municipal utilities;(iii) Two persons representing public utility districts;(iv) Two persons representing rural electric cooperatives;
and(b) Other persons with expertise in wildland fire risk reduction and prevention.(5) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.(6) Participation on the task force created in subsection (1) of this section is strictly voluntary and without compensation.--- END ---
and(b) Other persons with expertise in wildland fire risk reduction and prevention.(5) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.(6) Participation on the task force created in subsection (1) of this section is strictly voluntary and without compensation.NEW SECTION.  Sec.
2.
A new section is added to chapter 76.04 RCW to read as follows:In any action against an electric utility or its contractor for wildland fire damage to forestland or forested lands, or fire response costs to the department arising from or relating to generation, transmission, and distribution systems, the plaintiff in order to prevail is required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant or defendants failed to exercise ordinary care consistent with the practical operation of the utility, to prevent such damage, and that as a proximate result of the failure the plaintiff suffered damages.--- END ---
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Action History

  1. Effective date 7/28/2019.

  2. Chapter 77, 2019 Laws.

  3. Governor signed.

  4. Delivered to Governor.

  5. Speaker signed.

  6. President signed.

  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.

  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  9. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

  10. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  11. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Rural Development, Agriculture, & Natural Resources at 10:00 AM

  12. RDAN - Majority; do pass.

  13. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Rural Development, Agriculture, & Natural Resources at 10:00 AM

  14. First reading, referred to Rural Development, Agriculture, & Natural Resources.

  15. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

  16. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  17. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  18. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  19. Placed on second reading consent calendar.

  20. Placed on second reading consent calendar.

  21. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  22. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  23. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks at 01:30 PM

  24. AWNP - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  25. AWNP - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  26. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks at 01:30 PM

  27. First reading, referred to Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 144 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (144)

144 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 144 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Final Passage (#2)

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 33000
Republican 21001
Democrat 42001
Total 96002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Appleton — Yea
Blake — Yea
Chambers — Yea
Chandler — Yea
Chopp — Yea
Cody — Yea
DeBolt — Yea
Dolan — Yea
Hoff — Yea
Hudgins — Yea
Irwin — Yea
Jenkin — Yea
Kirby — Yea
Klippert — Yea
Kraft — Yea
Kretz — Yea
Maycumber — Yea
McCaslin — Yea
Mead — Yea
Morris — Yea
Mosbrucker — Yea
Pellicciotti — Yea
Pettigrew — Yea
Sells — Yea
Shea — Yea
Smith — Yea
Sullivan — Yea
Sutherland — Yea
Tarleton — Yea
Vick — Yea
Wilcox — Yea
Young — Yea
Van Werven — Yea
Amy Walen Democrat Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Bill Ramos Democrat Yea
Chris Kilduff Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Dave Paul Democrat Yea
Debra Entenman Democrat Yea
Debra Lekanoff Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Kristine Reeves Democrat Yea
Larry Springer Democrat Yea
Lauren Davis Democrat Yea
Laurie Jinkins Democrat Yea
Lillian Ortiz-Self Democrat Yea
Lisa Callan Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Mari Leavitt Democrat Yea
Melanie Morgan Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
My-Linh Thai Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Not Voting
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Yea
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tana Senn Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Alex Ybarra Republican Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Yea
Chris Corry Republican Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Not Voting
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Yea
Jenny Graham Republican Yea
Jeremie Dufault Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Yea
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Michelle Valdez Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Skyler Rude Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#11)

Passed 49 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 27000
Republican 9000
Democrat 13000
Total 49000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Bailey — Yea
Becker — Yea
Billig — Yea
Brown — Yea
Carlyle — Yea
Darneille — Yea
Das — Yea
Ericksen — Yea
Frockt — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Hobbs — Yea
Honeyford — Yea
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Yea
McCoy — Yea
Mullet — Yea
O'Ban — Yea
Padden — Yea
Palumbo — Yea
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Rolfes — Yea
Sheldon — Yea
Takko — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Zeiger — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety environment energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 5305?
SB 5305 is sponsored by Judy Warnick (Republican), McCoy, Takko, Shelly Short (Republican), Sheldon, Joe Nguyen (Democrat), and Van De Wege.
What is the current status of SB 5305?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 17, 2019. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 5305?
Track SB 5305 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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