Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 4 D · 2 R cosponsors

SB 6050 — Expanding the use of distributed energy resources.

Last action — Senate Rules "X" file.

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 09, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 2 R) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

270 added · 508 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Senate Bill 6050, specific sections related to addressing balcony solar systems have been added, which include new definitions and provisions to support solar energy adoption. This is important because it aims to make solar energy more accessible and affordable for homeowners, helping to reduce electricity costs and increase the use of clean energy. The changes also highlight the need for safety and reliability in the interconnection processes of solar systems, ensuring that as more people adopt this technology, it can be done safely and effectively.

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S-4465.2 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6050 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senate Environment, Energy & Technology (originally sponsored by Senators Liias, Short, Lovelett, Shewmake, Wellman, and J.
S-3770.1 SENATE BILL 6050 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senators Liias, Short, Lovelett, Shewmake, Wellman, and J.
Wilson) READ FIRST TIME 02/02/26.
Wilson Prefiled 01/09/26.
Read first time 01/12/26.
Referred to Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.
amending RCW 64.38.055 and 64.90.510;
amending RCW 64.38.055;
adding a new section to chapter 80.28 RCW;
creating a new section;
providing an effective date;
NEW SECTION.
Part I Addressing Balcony Solar Sec.
Sec.
1.
The legislature finds that electricity is an essential resource, the rising cost of electricity is a barrier to basic necessities, interconnection fees and processes can add substantial costs and time to the adoption of solar energy systems, and upgrading electrical panels can be cost-prohibitive for some customers seeking to embrace additional electrification in their homes.
The legislature also finds that grid reliability and safety is of the utmost importance.
The legislature recognizes that underwriters laboratories launched UL 3700, the testing and certification program for safer plug-in solar systems, in January 2026, and the existing UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 further provide safeguards for these systems.
The IEEE 1547 standards provide uniform requirements for the safe interconnection of distributed energy resources to the grid, and specifically to the part of the grid that delivers power to homes and p.
1 SSB 6050 other buildings.
UL 1741 specifies the testing methods to ensure safety for inverters and other utility interconnected distributed generation equipment to enable smarter, safer, and reactive grid interconnection.
Together, these standards ensure that, if the grid goes down, a customer's solar system will also shut down, ensuring the customer's electricity lines are deenergized.
Furthermore, the legislature intends to ensure that portable solar generation devices meet the national electrical code standards, and that any such device that is coupled with storage also complies with UL 3141.
Regarding meter-mounted devices, the legislature finds that these devices can provide a safe and cost-effective option for enabling electric vehicle charging, solar generation, emergency generation, and more, without an expensive electrical panel upgrade.
Therefore, the legislature intends to reduce barriers to small- scale solar systems and home electricity upgrades, and to further promote distributed energy resources.
Electrical and natural gas companies maintain programs offering incentives for single-family and multifamily housing owners to have conservation and energy efficiency measures financed and installed at their premises.
The owners of single-family and multifamily rental housing may be reluctant to participate in such programs when they are required to financially supplement the company's incentive to fully fund cost-effective conservation and energy efficiency measures.
By not participating in an electrical or natural gas company's programs, single-family and multifamily rental housing owners expose tenants to higher energy bills and deny electrical and natural gas companies from being able to achieve greater reductions in energy consumption.
Therefore, the legislature intends to incentivize and enable electrical and natural gas companies to access conservation and energy efficiency opportunities in single-family and multifamily rental housing in a manner that reduces the energy burden of customers, especially low-income customers, vulnerable populations, and customers in highly impacted communities;
benefit the premises owner by enhancing the value of their property;
and treat capital investments in conservation and energy efficiency comparably to capital investment in generation resources.
Part I Addressing Balcony Solar p.
2 SSB 6050 Sec.
(3) "Consumer-owned utility" means a municipal electric utility formed under Title 35 RCW, a public utility district formed under Title 54 RCW, an irrigation district formed under chapter 87.03 RCW, a cooperative formed under chapter 23.86 RCW, or a mutual corporation or association formed under chapter 24.06 RCW, that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to more than one retail electric customer in the state.
(3) "Consumer-owned utility" means a municipal electric utility formed under Title 35 RCW, a public utility district formed under Title 54 RCW, an irrigation district formed under chapter 87.03 RCW, a cooperative formed under chapter 23.86 RCW, or a mutual corporation p.
1 SB 6050 or association formed under chapter 24.06 RCW, that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to more than one retail electric customer in the state.
p.
(13) "Net metering system" means a fuel cell, a facility that produces electricity and used and useful thermal energy from a common fuel source, or a facility for the production of electrical energy that generates renewable energy, and that:
3 SSB 6050 (13) "Net metering system" means a fuel cell, a facility that produces electricity and used and useful thermal energy from a common fuel source, or a facility for the production of electrical energy that generates renewable energy, and that:
(14) "Portable solar generation device" means a moveable photovoltaic generation device that:
p.
2 SB 6050 (14) "Portable solar generation device" means a moveable photovoltaic generation device that:
(f) Is certified by underwriters laboratories under UL 3700 as the standard existed as of January 1, 2026;
and (f) Either:
(g) Has a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts behind the common point of coupling with the electric utility;
(i)(A) Has a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts behind the common point of coupling with the electric utility;
and (h) If coupled with storage, is certified by underwriters laboratories under UL 3141 as the standard existed as of January 1, 2026.
and (B) Is certified by underwriters laboratories under UL 3700, as of January 1, 2026;
or by the department of labor and industries consistent with RCW 19.28.010 to conform to applicable standards or be indicated as acceptable by the established standards of any electrical product testing laboratory which is accredited by the department of labor and industries;
or (ii) Has a maximum power output to the receptacle outlet of 391 watts or less.
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p.
(((15))) (16) "Premises" means any residential property, commercial real estate, or lands, owned or leased by a customer- generator within the service area of a single electric utility.
4 SSB 6050 (((15))) (16) "Premises" means any residential property, commercial real estate, or lands, owned or leased by a customer- generator within the service area of a single electric utility.
(((18))) (19) "Retail electric customer" includes an individual, organization, group, association, partnership, corporation, agency, unit of state government, or entity that is connected to the electric utility's distribution system and purchases electricity for ultimate consumption and not for resale.
(((18))) (19) "Retail electric customer" includes an individual, organization, group, association, partnership, corporation, agency, unit of state government, or entity that is connected to the electric p.
3 SB 6050 utility's distribution system and purchases electricity for ultimate consumption and not for resale.
(2) A customer must notify their electric utility prior to installing a portable solar generation device.
(2) An electric utility, city, or county in which the customer is located, or landlord as defined in RCW 59.18.030:
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, an electric utility, city, or county in which the customer is located, or landlord as defined in RCW 59.18.030:
(4) An electric utility with fewer than 25,000 customers may prohibit portable solar generation devices.
(3) It is a per se violation of chapter 19.86 RCW and is considered a deceptive practice to:
p.
5 SSB 6050 (5) It is a per se violation of chapter 19.86 RCW and is considered a deceptive practice to:
(b) If used to heat water, is certified by the solar rating certification corporation or another nationally recognized certification agency.
p.
4 SB 6050 (b) If used to heat water, is certified by the solar rating certification corporation or another nationally recognized certification agency.
(ii) An owner or resident to shield a ground-mounted solar energy panel if shielding the panel does not prohibit economic installation p.
(ii) An owner or resident to shield a ground-mounted solar energy panel if shielding the panel does not prohibit economic installation of the solar energy panel or degrade the operational performance quality of the solar energy panel by more than ten percent;
6 SSB 6050 of the solar energy panel or degrade the operational performance quality of the solar energy panel by more than ten percent;
or (iii) Owners or residents who install solar energy panels or portable solar generation devices to indemnify or reimburse the association or its members for loss or damage caused by the installation, maintenance, or use of a solar energy panel.
or (iii) Owners or residents who install solar energy panels or portable solar generation devices to indemnify or reimburse the association or its members for loss or damage caused by the installation, maintenance, or use of a solar energy panel or portable solar generation device.
(((a))) (i) The heating or cooling of a structure or building;
p.
5 SB 6050 (((a))) (i) The heating or cooling of a structure or building;
Part II Meter-Mounted Devices NEW SECTION.
104.
RCW 64.90.510 and 2024 c 321 s 322 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) An association may not prohibit display of the flag of the United States, or the flag of Washington state, on or within a unit or a limited common element, except that an association may adopt reasonable restrictions pertaining to the time, place, or manner of displaying the flag of the United States necessary to protect a substantial interest of the association.
p.
7 SSB 6050 (b) The association may not prohibit the installation of a flagpole for the display of the flag of the United States, or the flag of Washington state, on or within a unit or a limited common element, except that an association may adopt reasonable rules and regulations pertaining to the location and the size of the flagpole.
(c) For purposes of this section, "flag of the United States" means the flag of the United States as described in 4 U.S.C.
Sec.
1 et seq.
that is made of fabric, cloth, or paper.
"Flag of the United States" does not mean a flag, depiction, or emblem made of lights, paint, roofing, siding, paving materials, flora, or balloons, or of any similar building, landscaping, or decorative components.
(2) An association may not prohibit display of signs, including outdoor signs, regarding candidates for public or association office, or ballot issues, on or within a unit or limited common element, but an association may adopt reasonable rules pertaining to the placement and manner of those displays.
(3) The association may not prohibit the installation of a solar energy panel on or within a unit so long as the solar panel:
(a) Meets applicable health and safety standards and requirements imposed by state and local permitting authorities;
(b) If used to heat water, is certified by the solar rating certification corporation or another nationally recognized certification agency.
Certification must be for the solar energy panel and for installation;
and (c) If used to produce electricity, meets all applicable safety and performance standards established by the national electric code, the institute of electrical and electronics engineers, accredited testing laboratories, such as underwriters laboratories, and, where applicable, rules of the utilities and transportation commission regarding safety and reliability.
(4) The association may not prohibit a unit owner from storing containers for municipal or private collection, such as compost, garbage, and recycling receptacles, in any private garage, side yard, or backyard reserved for the exclusive use of a unit.
However, the association may adopt and enforce rules requiring that such receptacles be screened from view and establishing acceptable dates and times that such receptacles may be presented for collection.
(5) The governing documents may:
(a) Prohibit the visibility of any part of a roof-mounted solar energy panel above the roof line;
p.
8 SSB 6050 (b) Permit the attachment of a solar energy panel to the slope of a roof facing a street only if:
(i) The solar energy panel conforms to the slope of the roof;
and (ii) The top edge of the solar energy panel is parallel to the roof ridge;
and (c) Require:
(i) A solar energy panel frame, a support bracket, or any visible piping or wiring to be painted to coordinate with the roofing material;
(ii) A unit owner or resident to shield a ground-mounted solar energy panel if shielding the panel does not prohibit economic installation of the solar energy panel or degrade the operational performance quality of the solar energy panel by more than 10 percent;
and (iii) Unit owners or residents who install solar energy panels or portable solar generation devices to indemnify or reimburse the association or its members for loss or damage caused by the installation, maintenance, or use of a solar energy panel or portable solar generation device.
(6) The governing documents may include other reasonable rules regarding the placement and manner of a solar energy panel.
(7) The governing documents may not prohibit the placement or use of a portable solar generation device by an owner or resident on the owner's or resident's property.
(8)(a) For purposes of this section, "solar energy panel" means a panel device or system or combination of panel devices or systems that relies on direct sunlight as an energy source, including a panel device or system or combination of panel devices or systems that collects sunlight for use in:
(((a))) (i) The heating or cooling of a structure or building;
(((b))) (ii) The heating or pumping of water;
(((c))) (iii) Industrial, commercial, or agricultural processes;
or (((d))) (iv) The generation of electricity.
(b) "Solar energy panel" does not include a portable solar generation device, as defined in RCW 80.60.010.
(((8))) (9) This section must not be construed to permit installation by a unit owner of a solar panel on or in common elements without approval of the board.
p.
9 SSB 6050 (((9))) (10) Unit owners may peacefully assemble on the common elements to consider matters related to the common interest community, but the association may adopt rules governing the time, place, and manner of those assemblies.
(((10))) (11) An association may adopt rules that affect the use or occupancy of or behavior in units that may be used for residential purposes, only to:
(a) Implement a provision of the declaration;
(b) Regulate any behavior in or occupancy of a unit that violates the declaration or adversely affects the use and enjoyment of other units or the common elements by other occupants;
and (c) Restrict the leasing of residential units to the extent those rules are reasonably designed to meet underwriting requirements of institutional lenders that regularly make loans secured by first mortgages on units in comparable common interest communities or that regularly purchase those mortgages.
Part II Addressing Meter-Mounted Devices NEW SECTION.
Sec.
(a) Be qualified to be connected to the supply side of the service disconnect pursuant to the applicable provisions of the national electric code;
10 SSB 6050 (a) Be qualified to be connected to the supply side of the service disconnect pursuant to the applicable provisions of the national electric code;
6 SB 6050 (b) Be approved or listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and is suitable, according to the device's approval or listing documentation, for use in meter sockets that are rated up to 200 amperes;
(b) Be approved or listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and is suitable, according to the device's approval or listing documentation, for use in meter sockets that are rated up to 200 amperes;
(d) Not impede or interfere with the functions of analog, digital, or advanced electric meters or measurement devices used by the utility, including current and future systems, network communications, hardware, and firmware;
(d) Not impede access to the sealed meter socket compartment or the pull section of the service section of the electric meter or switchboard, as applicable;
(e) Not impede access to the sealed meter socket compartment or the pull section of the service section of the electric meter or switchboard, as applicable;
and (e) Be approved by the electric utility in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.
and (f) Be approved by the electric utility in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.
(4) An electric utility must approve or disapprove a request from a manufacturer for approval of a specific model of meter-mounted device for installation in its service area no later than 90 days after the electric utility receives a request for approval, which must include the specific model of the meter-mounted device.
(4) An electric utility must approve or disapprove a request from a manufacturer for approval of a specific model of meter-mounted device for installation in its service area based on the requirements in subsection (3) of this section.
An electric utility must provide public notice of all decisions approving a model of meter-mounted device, including by posting the information on the utility's website.
Upon receiving such a request for approval, an electric utility with more than 25,000 customers must make an approval decision within 90 days, and an electric utility with 25,000 customers or fewer must make an approval decision within 180 days.
(5) An electric utility may recover the cost of service work on any customer-owned meter-mounted device, or maintenance or repair work on any electric utility-owned equipment necessary due to the installation of a customer-owned meter-mounted device, by charging the customer directly.
An electric utility must maintain an annually updated public list of all approved models of meter-mounted devices, including by posting the information on the utility's website.
(6) Each electric utility must implement the provisions of this section no later than six months after the effective date of this section.
(5) An electric utility may remove any customer-owned meter- mounted device that does not meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.
(7) An electric utility may not be held liable for damage, attributable to a customer-owned meter-mounted device installed pursuant to this section, to any person or property.
(6) An electric utility may recover the cost of service work on any customer-owned meter-mounted device, or the cost of maintenance, repair, removal, or reinstalling work on any electric utility-owned equipment necessary due to the installation of a customer-owned meter-mounted device, by charging the customer directly.
(8) An electric utility may have a licensed electrical contractor remove any customer-owned meter-mounted device that inhibits the utility's ability to provide service or read the meter.
(7) Each electric utility must implement the provisions of this section no later than six months after the effective date of this section.
(9) A city, county, or other local jurisdiction may not prohibit the installation and operation of a meter-mounted device as described in this section.
p.
Part III Miscellaneous p.
11 SSB 6050 (8) An electric utility may not be held liable for damage, attributable to a customer-owned meter-mounted device installed pursuant to this section, to any person or property.
7 SB 6050 NEW SECTION.
(9) An electric utility may inspect and maintain the point of common connection without prior notice to the customer for reasons of safety, maintenance, or power quality.
If the removal of a customer- owned meter-mounted device is necessary for such inspection or maintenance, either:
(a) The customer is responsible for hiring a licensed electrician to remove and reinstall the device;
or (b) The electric utility is held harmless for removing and reinstalling the device.
(10) A city, county, or other local jurisdiction may not prohibit the installation and operation of a meter-mounted device as described in this section.
Part III Incentivizing Investment in Energy Conservation and Efficiency Measures NEW SECTION.
A new section is added to chapter 80.28 RCW to read as follows:
If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
(1) The commission must allow an electrical or natural gas company to invest in programs that achieve energy conservation and improve the efficiency of energy end use of single-family and multifamily rental housing in lieu of requiring a contribution from the premises owner to finance measures that would be cost-effective in the aggregate.
The commission shall allow the company to earn a return on cost-effective investments made under this section over a duration of time that reduces the customer's energy burden and minimizes the investment's impact on the customer's bill, while providing a return on equity that incentivizes the company to make such an investment.
(2) The electrical or natural gas company shall prioritize investments made under this section on single-family and multifamily rental housing to reduce the energy burden of low-income customers, vulnerable populations, and customers in highly impacted communities while meeting the customer's comfort and productivity needs.
(3) Investments made under this section must be secured through the meter and recovered through the regular billing paid by the p.
12 SSB 6050 tenant, including any successor tenant, or owner of the premises.
If the bill is paid by the premises' owner, the company's investment must be recovered pursuant to a site-specific services agreement.
The investment must be recovered as any other energy charge, including being subject to collection, until the authorized return on the investment has been fully recovered.
An investment made under this section must be designated as an "energy savings charge" as a line item on the regular customer billing.
(4) The electrical or natural gas company shall provide the premises owner sufficient information for the owner to provide a tenant who is responsible for paying the electric or gas bill as required under this subsection.
At least 30 days prior to the commencement of work to install conservation measures at the premises, the premises owner shall notify a tenant of the owner's authorization for an electrical or gas company to install conservation measures at the premises inhabited by the tenant under a financial arrangement provided under this section.
The notice must include a description of the work to be performed and the expected benefits of the conservation measures.
(5) The commission may not incur administrative costs under this section until January 1, 2029.
(6) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Cost-effective" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 80.52.030.
(b) "Energy burden" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.405.020.
(c) "Highly impacted communities" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.405.020.
(d) "Low-income" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.405.020.
(e) "Vulnerable populations" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.405.020.
Part IV Miscellaneous NEW SECTION.
Sec.
401.
If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the p.
13 SSB 6050 remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
402.
302.
NEW SECTION.
Sec.
403.
Section 301 of this act takes effect January 1, 2029.
14 SSB 6050
8 SB 6050
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Action History

  1. Senate Rules "X" file.

  2. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  3. Minority; without recommendation.

  4. ENET - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  5. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 10:30 AM.

  6. Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 10:30 AM.

  7. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.

  8. First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

  9. Prefiled for introduction.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 145 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (145)

145 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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.

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 6050?
SB 6050 is sponsored by Jeff Wilson (Republican), Lisa Wellman (Democrat), Sharon Shewmake (Democrat), Liz Lovelett (Democrat), Shelly Short (Republican), and Marko Liias (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 6050?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 09, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 6050?
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