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WashingtonSB 54452025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Encouraging utility investment in local energy resilience.

Sponsored By: Matt Boehnke (Republican)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Farm solar keeps property tax protections

Land in the listed farm categories can qualify for Washington's current-use property tax program while hosting qualifying solar panels. Adding qualifying solar to already-classified farmland does not count as reclassification, withdrawal, or removal, so the addition alone triggers no extra tax. These ground-mounted systems must keep farming productive and viable alongside solar power. They must avoid permanent or major land damage and cannot involve selling a water right. Panel layout must support farm equipment, light and water needs, and changes in crops over the system's life.

Some solar projects skip environmental review

The law exempts specified solar projects from Washington environmental review, but not projects wholly or partly on water-covered land. Arrays or support structures under 1,000 square feet qualify on previously disturbed or developed land, excluding protected current-use tax land. Installations by the same owner or operator on one parcel exceeding 1,000 square feet together count as connected actions and lose that exemption. Solar support structures wholly over parking lots also qualify. Certain solar, storage, and related facilities qualify on closed or capped landfills and reclaimed or former mine sites. Those facilities must stay wholly on the qualifying site, avoid penetrating asphalt or soil caps, and meet the lead agency's emergency fire-access requirements.

Local energy projects gain priority and credits

Washington gives priority status to qualifying local solar, storage, small wind, microgrids, and energy-saving or energy-service programs. Priority solar and storage sites include utility sites, road rights-of-way, existing buildings, parking lots, transportation facilities, landfills, and reclaimed mines. Other sites include capped contaminated land and structures over irrigation canals or drainage ditches without fish runs; qualifying solar-and-farm projects must preserve productive farming. Through December 31, 2029, qualifying utilities can count priority local generation at four times its electrical output for renewable-energy compliance. Facilities must start operating after the section's effective date, be in the utility's service area, and have utility ownership or contracts covering generation and credits, or credit purchases alone.

Utilities gain more clean energy options

Qualifying utilities can meet renewable-energy rules with eligible renewable power, extra energy savings, and programs that reduce peak demand. Extra savings must appear in the utility's latest cost-effective savings plan, exceed its two-year target, and meet the applicable annual megawatt-hour minimum. Savings count as annual savings times years of operation through January 1, 2030, and cannot also count as excess savings. Peak-demand reductions count in megawatt-hours as: peak reduction divided by system peak demand, multiplied by average annual system load. Utilities must measure and verify demand reductions, document indirect measurement methods and inputs, and count storage only when it has priority status and reduces system peak demand. Beginning January 1, 2030, renewable power and credits plus nonemitting generation totaling 100% of average annual retail electric load satisfy the annual target; conservation duties remain.

Utilities cannot count voluntary renewable purchases

Qualifying utilities must exclude voluntary renewable-energy purchases from the annual targets covered by this rule. This limits what utilities can count toward required targets. It does not require households to buy renewable energy or make a new payment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Matt Boehnke

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bob Hasegawa

    Democratic • Senate

  • Vandana Slatter

    Democratic • Senate

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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