Creating the orca protection act.

Establishes the orca protection act.

Requires the department of fish and wildlife to: (1) In order to facilitate the enforcement of RCW 77.15.740, provide extra protection to newborn calves, and protect critical feeding areas, conduct patrols during the twenty-two most active weeks for southern resident killer whale viewing activity each year and prioritize Wednesday through Monday patrols when the activity is most active;

(2) In the event that orca whales are not present, place emphasis on patrols that protect living marine resources in northern Puget Sound;

(3) Coordinate with appropriate federal, tribal, county, and nongovernmental partners to identify research and management actions undertaken that relate to impacts from human-generated marine noise; and

(4) Identify relevant research findings and management actions undertaken and identify options and recommendations on potential actions the state can take.

Includes as a natural resource infraction, when a person causes: (1) An aircraft or remotely controlled aerial vehicle to approach within two hundred yards of a southern resident orca whale; or

(2) A vessel to exceed a speed over ground of seven knots within four hundred yards of a southern resident orca whale.

Requires the Salish Sea institute at Western Washington University to: (1) Convene a meeting to improve the coordination of recovery strategies for southern resident killer whales between Washington and British Columbia; and

(2) Establish timelines for recovery actions.

Reducing carbon pollution by investing in rural economic development and a clean energy economy.

Imposes a carbon pollution tax on: (1) The sale or use within this state of fossil fuels, except fossil fuels used to generate electricity in the state; or

(2) The generation within or import for consumption to this state of electricity generated through the combustion of fossil fuels.

Requires the department of commerce to convene a stakeholder work group to examine the integration of carbon pricing in electricity markets within the state and transactions with markets outside the state.

Creates the joint committee on climate programs oversight and requires the committee to be responsible for ongoing review of the implementation of the carbon pollution tax and funding from the revenue of that tax.

Creates the community climate advisory board within the executive office of the governor to oversee implementation of this act toward reducing pollution and facilitating the transition to a clean energy economy.

Creates an economic and environmental justice oversight panel as a subcommittee of the advisory board.

Prohibits a state agency from adopting or enforcing a statewide program that sets a greenhouse gas emissions cap or charge.

Requires the utilities and transportation commission and the department of commerce to create a technical standards committee and a technical advisory committee, as appropriate, to advise certain parties on utility reinvestment of certain credited money.

Establishes clean energy investment programs and plans.

Creates the carbon pollution reduction account, the energy transformation account, the clean transportation account, the transition assistance account, the water and natural resources resilience account, and the rural economic development account.

Providing for approval of school district bonds by fifty-five percent of the voters voting.

Provides for approval by fifty-five percent of voters voting to authorize school district bonds.

Concerning property tax exemptions for service-connected disabled veterans and senior citizens.

Establishes a mechanism for adjusting income thresholds into the future to provide tax relief to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and veterans.

Requires the department of revenue to: (1) Beginning January 1, 2021, and every fifth year thereafter, publish updated income thresholds;

(2) Round the adjusted thresholds to the nearest one dollar; and

Establishing pilot programs to plan for the needs of certain college students experiencing homelessness.

Requires the state board for community and technical colleges to establish a pilot program for college districts to plan, and requires the student achievement council to establish a pilot program for four-year institutions of higher education to plan, for the unique needs and challenges of students experiencing homelessness.

Requires each college district and each institution of higher education, as part of the pilot program, to: (1) Develop a capital project plan to renovate or rehabilitate an existing building, campus building, or facility, as appropriate, to provide at least the following accommodations: Laundry facilities, storage units, showers, and lockers; and

(2) Give the capital project an enhanced score as compared to other capital projects submitted by the college district or institution.

Strengthening oil transportation safety.

Addresses oil transportation safety.

Finds that the department of ecology's oil spill program faces a critical funding gap due to the lack of adequate revenue to fully fund the prevention and preparedness services required by state law, including the 2015 oil transportation safety act.

Declares an intent to: (1) Provide adequate revenue to fully fund prevention and preparedness services required by state law;

(2) Direct the department of ecology to specifically address the risks of oils submerging and sinking; and

(3) More extensively coordinate with our Canadian partners in order to protect the state's economy and its shared resources.

Requires the department of ecology to: (1) Establish the Salish Sea shared waters forum to address common issues in the cross-boundary waterways between Washington state and British Columbia such as: Enhancing efforts to reduce oil spill risk, addressing navigational safety, and promoting data sharing; and

Delineating charity care and notice requirements without restricting charity care.

Helping former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness access and complete college and registered apprenticeships.

Establishes the passport to careers act.

Creates the passport to careers program to: (1) Encourage foster youth and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness to complete higher education or a registered apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program;

(2) Improve high school graduation outcomes of the youth through coordinated P-20 and child welfare outreach, intervention, and planning; and

(3) Improve postsecondary outcomes by providing the youth with planning, information, support, and direct financial resources.

Creates a passport to apprenticeship opportunities program and requires the program to: (1) Identify students and applicants who are eligible for services through coordination of certain agencies; and

(2) Provide financial assistance through nongovernmental entities that does not exceed the individual's financial need.

Requires the office of student financial assistance to: (1) Implement the passport to careers with two programmatic pathways: (a) The passport to college promise program; and (b) the passport to apprenticeship opportunities program;

(2) Contract to provide certain services to disadvantaged populations seeking to complete apprenticeships and preapprenticeships; and

(3) Contract with at least one nongovernmental entity to provide services to support effective program implementation, resulting in increased postsecondary completion rates for passport scholars.

Repeals the June 30, 2022, expiration of the passport to college promise program.

Requires the departments of social and health services and children, youth, and families, with input from the superintendent of public instruction to devise and implement procedures for: (1) Identifying students and applicants eligible for services; and

(2) Sharing that information with the office of student financial assistance, institutions of higher education, and certain nongovernmental entities.

-- 2018 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 18	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 8:00 AM.
Jan 23	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 8:00 AM.
Feb 1	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM.
Feb 6	WM - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
	Minority; do not pass.
	Minority; without recommendation.
	Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:00 AM.
Feb 10	Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Feb 12	2nd substitute bill substituted.
	Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
	Third reading, passed; yeas, 35; nays, 12; absent, 0; excused, 2.
-- IN THE HOUSE --
Feb 14	First reading, referred to Higher Education (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).
Feb 20	Public hearing in the House Committee on Higher Education at 8:00 AM.
Feb 21	Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Higher Education at 1:30 PM.
Feb 23	HE - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
	Minority; do not pass.
	Minority; without recommendation.
	Referred to Appropriations.
	Executive action taken in the House Committee on Higher Education at 8:00 AM.
Feb 24	Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:00 AM.
Feb 26	APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Higher Education.
	Minority; do not pass.
	Minority; without recommendation.
	Referred to Rules 2 Review.
	Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 11:00 AM.
Feb 27	Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Feb 28	Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
	Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
	Third reading, passed; yeas, 55; nays, 43; absent, 0; excused, 0.