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WashingtonSB 54452025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Encouraging utility investment in local energy resilience.

Sponsored By: Matt Boehnke (Republican)

Became Law

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Faster permits for small solar projects

Beginning July 27, 2025, many small solar installs can skip SEPA review. A single array or structure must be under 1,000 square feet and on previously disturbed or developed land that is not in current-use open space, farm, or timber. If the same owner’s adjoining arrays on one parcel add up over 1,000 square feet, the exemption does not apply. Elevated solar over parking lots can be exempt. Solar on closed, capped landfills or reclaimed mine sites can be exempt if it does not pierce the cap and fire crews can reach it.

Utilities get boost for local clean energy

Beginning July 27, 2025, the law defines priority local energy projects. These include solar with storage in rights-of-way, on capped sites, over canals or parking, on buildings, and as agrivoltaics. It also covers non-utility-scale wind, microgrids, storage in similar places, and demand-side and thermal programs. New qualifying distributed generation in a utility’s service area can count 4x toward renewable goals through December 31, 2029, if the utility owns or has contracts for the project and its renewable energy credits, or has a contract to buy the credits. Demand response now includes storage that cuts peak demand. Utilities must convert peak reductions to MWh using this formula: (peak reduction MW / system peak MW) × average annual system load in MWh, and keep measurement and verification records.

Farms keep tax status with solar

Beginning July 27, 2025, farms can add solar and keep farm property tax status. Land with an agrivoltaic system counts as farm and agricultural land under current-use rules. Adding an agrivoltaic array does not, by itself, trigger withdrawal or the extra tax under chapter 84.34. Systems must be ground-mounted solar that lets crops, grazing, animals, or pollinators continue. Arrays cannot permanently harm soil productivity, and you cannot sell off water rights tied to the land. Solar and farm production must run together as soon as practical until decommissioning, with panel height and spacing that let farm equipment work.

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Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Matt Boehnke

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bob Hasegawa

    Democratic • Senate

  • Member 27504

    House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 190 • No: 3

Senate vote • 4/22/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 96 • No: 1 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 3/11/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 46 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/13/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 265, 2025 Laws.

    5/13/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    5/13/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/25/2025legislature

  5. President signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/22/2025Senate

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    4/22/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    4/15/2025Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/15/2025Senate

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

    4/15/2025Senate

  12. Committee amendment not adopted.

    4/15/2025Senate

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

    4/14/2025Senate

  14. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    4/8/2025Senate

  15. APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) but without amendment(s) by Environment & Energy.

    4/8/2025Senate

  16. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    4/8/2025Senate

  17. Referred to Appropriations.

    3/28/2025Senate

  18. ENVI - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Environment & Energy.

    3/27/2025Senate

  19. ENVI - Executive action taken by committee.

    3/27/2025Senate

  20. First reading, referred to Environment & Energy.

    3/13/2025Senate

  21. Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    3/11/2025Senate

  22. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/11/2025Senate

  23. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/11/2025Senate

  24. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    3/11/2025Senate

  25. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    3/3/2025Senate

Bill Text

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