HB 2575 — Reducing certain reporting obligations under environmental or energy laws.

11 HB 2575 number of disconnections that occurred on each day for which the national weather service issued, or announced that it intended to issue, a heat-related alert.

(b) The information required in this subsection must be submitted in a form, timeline, and manner as prescribed by the department.)) Sec.(8) Each district with retail electric customers is encouraged to use any savings resulting from the removal of reporting requirements in this act for low-income energy assistance.

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(2)p. In classifying customers of such water, sewer, or drainage system, the board of commissioners may in its discretion consider any or all of the following factors:

12 EHB 2575 (2) In classifying customers of such water, sewer, or drainage system, the board of commissioners may in its discretion consider any or all of the following factors:

p.However, failure to require a deposit does not affect the validity of any lien authorized by this section.

12 HB 2575 However, failure to require a deposit does not affect the validity of any lien authorized by this section.

(4) The district may, at any time after the connection charges or rates and charges for services supplied or available and penalties arep. delinquent for a period of 60 days, bring suit in foreclosure by civil action in the superior court of the county in which the real property is located.

13 EHB 2575 are delinquent for a period of 60 days, bring suit in foreclosure by civil action in the superior court of the county in which the real property is located.

(7) A district may provide a real property owner or the owner's designee with duplicate bills for service to tenants, or may notify an owner or the owner's designee that a tenant's service account is p.delinquent.

13 HB 2575 delinquent.

(8) A district providing water utility service to residential customers may not effect, due to lack of payment, an involuntary termination of utility service to any residential user, including tenants of metered apartment buildings and residents of mobile homes, onp. any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

14 EHB 2575 on any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

The district, in connection with a request made pursuant to (a) of this subsection, may require the p.residential user to enter into a payment plan prior to reconnecting service to the dwelling.

14 HB 2575 residential user to enter into a payment plan prior to reconnecting service to the dwelling.

Districtsp. with fewer than 2,500 water customers in Washington must provide similar information upon request by the department.

15 EHB 2575 Districts with fewer than 2,500 water customers in Washington must provide similar information upon request by the department.

Reasonable charges necessary to cover the cost of administering the collection of voluntary donations for the purposes of supporting the development and implementation of evergreen community management plans and p.ordinances under RCW 80.28.300 must be deemed as prudent and necessary for the operation of a utility.

15 HB 2575 ordinances under RCW 80.28.300 must be deemed as prudent and necessary for the operation of a utility.

The grantee shallp. determine that the household income does not exceed the maximum allowed for eligibility under the state's plan for low-income energy assistance under 42 U.S.C.

16 EHB 2575 shall determine that the household income does not exceed the maximum allowed for eligibility under the state's plan for low-income energy assistance under 42 U.S.C.

The plan may not require monthly payments in p.excess of seven percent of the customer's monthly income plus one- twelfth of any arrearage accrued from the date application is made and thereafter during November 15 through March 15.

16 HB 2575 excess of seven percent of the customer's monthly income plus one- twelfth of any arrearage accrued from the date application is made and thereafter during November 15 through March 15.

(d) Be permitted to disconnect service if the customer fails to honor the payment program except on the days indicated in subsection (8)p. of this section.

17 EHB 2575 (8) of this section.

The budget billing or equal payment plan shall be offered low-income customers eligible under the state's plan for low-income energy assistance prepared in accordance with 42 p.U.S.C.

178624 HB(C)(1) 2575without U.S.C.limiting availability to certain months of the year, without regard to the length of time the customer has occupied the premises, and without regard to whether the customer is the tenant or owner of the premises occupied.

8624(C)(1) without limiting availability to certain months of the year, without regard to the length of time the customer has occupied the premises, and without regard to whether the customer is the tenant or owner of the premises occupied.

(9)(a)p. A residential user at whose dwelling electric, water, or thermal energy utility service has been disconnected for lack of payment may request that the utility reconnect service on any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

18 EHB 2575 (9)(a) A residential user at whose dwelling electric, water, or thermal energy utility service has been disconnected for lack of payment may request that the utility reconnect service on any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

If the utility requires the residential user p.to enter into a repayment plan, the repayment plan must comply with subsection (10) of this section.

18 HB 2575 to enter into a repayment plan, the repayment plan must comply with subsection (10) of this section.

(13)p. In establishing rates or charges for water service, water companies as defined in RCW 80.04.010 may consider the achievement of water conservation goals and the discouragement of wasteful water use practices.

(((14)19 OnEHB an2575 annual(13) basis,In eachestablishing utilityrates mustor submitcharges afor reportwater toservice, thewater commissioncompanies thatas includesdefined thein totalRCW number80.04.010 ofmay electric,consider water,the orachievement thermalof energywater disconnectionsconservation thatgoals occurredand on each day for which the nationaldiscouragement weatherof servicewasteful issued,water oruse announcedpractices. that it intended to issue, a heat-related alert.)) Sec.

(((14) On an annual basis, each utility must submit a report to the commission that includes the total number of electric, water, or thermal energy disconnections that occurred on each day for which the national weather service issued, or announced that it intended to issue, a heat-related alert.)) (14) Each electrical company is encouraged to use any savings resulting from the removal of reporting requirements in this act for low-income energy assistance.

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to finance, acquire, construct, own, and lease dams, canals, plants, p.transmission lines, and other power equipment and the necessary property and rights therefor and to operate, improve, repair, and maintain the same, for the generation and transmission of electrical energy for use in the operation of pumping plants and irrigation systems of the district and for sale to the inhabitants of the irrigation district for the purposes of irrigation and domestic use;

19and, HBas 2575a transmissionfurther lines, and otherseparate powergrant equipmentof authority and thein necessaryfurtherance propertyof anda rightsstate thereforpurpose and policy of developing hydroelectric capability in connection with irrigation facilities, to construct, finance, acquire, own, lease, operate, improve, repair, and maintainmaintain, thealone same,or forjointly thewith generationother andirrigation transmissiondistricts, boards of electricalcontrol, energymunicipal foror usequasi-municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the operationbusiness of pumpingdistributing plantselectricity, andelectrical irrigationcompanies systemssubject to the jurisdiction of the districtutilities and fortransportation salecommission, toprivate thecommercial inhabitantsor ofindustrial theentities irrigationthat districtconstruct or operate electric power generation or transmission facilities, or private commercial or industrial entities that acquire electric power for thetheir purposesown ofuse irrigationor andresale, domestichydroelectric use;facilities including but not limited to dams, canals, plants, transmission lines, other power p.

and,20 asEHB a2575 further and separate grant of authority and in furtherance of a state purpose and policy of developing hydroelectric capability in connection with irrigation facilities, to construct, finance, acquire, own, lease, operate, improve, repair, and maintain, alone or jointly with other irrigation districts, boards of control, municipal or quasi-municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the business of distributing electricity, electrical companies subject to the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission, private commercial or industrial entities that construct or operate electric power generation or transmission facilities, or private commercial or industrial entities that acquire electric power for their own use or resale, hydroelectric facilities including but not limited to dams, canals, plants, transmission lines, other power equipment, and the necessary property and rights therefor, located within or outside the district, for the purpose of utilizing for the generation of electricity, water power made available by and as a part of the irrigation water storage, conveyance, and distribution facilities, waste ways, and drainage water facilities which serve irrigation districts, and to sell any and all the electric energy generated at any such hydroelectric facilities or the irrigation district's share of such energy, to municipal or quasi-municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the business of distributing electricity, electrical companies subject to the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission, private commercial or industrial entities that acquire electric power for their own use or resale, or other irrigation districts, and on such terms and conditions as the board of directors shall determine.

No contract entered into under this subsection (1)(a) by the board of directors of any irrigation district for the sale of electrical energy from such hydroelectric facility for a period longer than forty years from the date of commercial operation of such hydroelectric facility shall be binding on the district until ratified by a majority vote of the electors of the district at an p.election therein, called, held, and canvassed for that purpose in the same manner as that provided by law for district bond elections.

20 HB 2575 election therein, called, held, and canvassed for that purpose in the same manner as that provided by law for district bond elections.

(e) To maintain, repair, construct, and reconstruct ditches, laterals, pipe lines, and other water conduits used or to be used in carrying water for irrigation of lands located within the boundaries of a city or town, or for the domestic use of the residents of a city or town where the owners of land within such city or town shall use such works to carry water to the boundaries of such city or town for irrigation, domestic, or other purposes within such city or town, and to charge to such city or town the pro rata proportion of the cost of such maintenance, repair, construction, and reconstruction work in proportionp. to the benefits received by the lands served and located within the boundaries of such city or town, and if such cost is not paid, then and in that event said irrigation district shall have the right to prevent further water deliveries through such works to the lands located within the boundaries of such city or town until such charges have been paid.

21 EHB 2575 proportion to the benefits received by the lands served and located within the boundaries of such city or town, and if such cost is not paid, then and in that event said irrigation district shall have the right to prevent further water deliveries through such works to the lands located within the boundaries of such city or town until such charges have been paid.

(g) To enter into contracts with other irrigation districts, boards of control, municipal or quasi-municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the business of distributing electricity, electrical companies subject to the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission, private commercial or industrial entities that construct or operate electric power generation or transmission facilities, or private commercial or industrial entities that acquire electric power for their own use or resale, to jointly finance, acquire, lease, construct, own, operate, p.improve, repair, and maintain irrigation water, domestic water, drainage and sewerage works, and electrical power works to the same extent as authorized by (a) of this subsection, or portions of such works.

21 HB 2575 improve, repair, and maintain irrigation water, domestic water, drainage and sewerage works, and electrical power works to the same extent as authorized by (a) of this subsection, or portions of such works.

No action in connection with ap. common facility may be binding upon any irrigation district unless authorized or approved by resolution of its board.

22 EHB 2575 a common facility may be binding upon any irrigation district unless authorized or approved by resolution of its board.

(2) An irrigation district providing electric or water utility service to residential customers may not effect, due to lack of payment, an involuntary termination of utility service to any residential users, including tenants of metered apartment buildings p.and residents of mobile homes, on any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

22 HB 2575 and residents of mobile homes, on any day for which the national weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the residential user's address is located.

The irrigation district,p. in connection with a request made pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection, may require the residential user to enter into a payment plan prior to reconnecting service to the dwelling.

23 EHB 2575 district, in connection with a request made pursuant to (a)(i) of this subsection, may require the residential user to enter into a payment plan prior to reconnecting service to the dwelling.

(((c) On an annual basis, each irrigation district with more than 25,000 retail electric customers or 2,500 water customers in p.Washington must submit a report to the department of commerce that includes the total number of disconnections that occurred on each day for which the national weather service issued, or announced that it intended to issue, a heat-related alert.

23 HB 2575 Washington must submit a report to the department of commerce that includes the total number of disconnections that occurred on each day for which the national weather service issued, or announced that it intended to issue, a heat-related alert.

(ii) The information required in this subsection (2)(c) must be submitted in a form, timeline, and manner as prescribed by the department.)) (3) ThisEach sectionirrigation shalldistrict notwith beretail construedelectric ascustomers inis anyencouraged mannerto abridginguse any othersavings powersresulting from the removal of anreporting irrigationrequirements districtin conferredthis byact law.for low-income energy assistance.

NEW(4) SECTION.This section shall not be construed as in any manner abridging any other powers of an irrigation district conferred by law.

p.

24 EHB 2575 NEW SECTION.

2425 HBEHB 2575