HB 1329 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning wholesale power purchases by electric utilities under the Washington clean energy transformation act.

HB 1329 amends the Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) concerning how certain wholesale power purchases are classified. The bill modifies the definition of a "coal-fired resource" by expanding the duration for specific limited-term wholesale electricity purchases that are exempt from this classification. Under the new provisions, electric utilities can make wholesale power purchases for up to three months, or up to six months for system sales used for seasonal resource adequacy, without these being counted as coal-fired resources under CETA. This aims to provide utilities with more flexibility in acquiring short-term power, provided these exemptions are not used to avoid CETA's overall restrictions on coal-fired energy.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed May 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Bill → Passed Legislature · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized and certified for the 2025 legislative session. The most significant policy change is the addition of a new section requiring electric utilities to report on unspecified electricity contracts longer than 31 days, aiming to increase transparency in power purchasing. The bill also updated its scope to include a new section establishing reporting requirements and rule-making authority for energy transformation projects.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include RCW 19.405.100, which adds specific reporting obligations for investor-owned and consumer-owned utilities regarding long-term unspecified electricity contracts and energy transformation investments.

REQUIREMENT

New reporting requirements mandate that consumer-owned utilities disclose the number of unspecified electricity contracts exceeding 31 days used to serve retail customers, including contract duration and purpose.

New rules require investor-owned utilities to report the same unspecified contract information to the commission.

The department of ecology must establish verification and reporting standards for energy transformation project investments.

Utilities must make all compliance reports available to their retail electric customers.

SCOPE

The bill's title and scope were updated to include amendments to RCW 19.405.100, reflecting the addition of new reporting and rule-making provisions.

TECHNICAL

Certification of enrollment and filing details were added to confirm the bill passed both the House and Senate in the 2025 Regular Session.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025 · House Mar 10, 2025

How they voted

51–0

Passed

Total votes 51

Apr 9, 2025

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2025

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 95; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 1.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

ENET - Majority; do pass.

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

ENVI - Majority; do pass.

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 4:00 PM.

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM.

lower

1 primary · 8 co-sponsors