HB1280 – Includes the cost of greenhouse gas emissions and the consideration of all-electric systems in the analysis of buildings the State’s constructing or leasing.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Ramel (D; 40th District; Bellingham) (Co-sponsor Duerr – D)
Current status – Had a hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology February 1st, and passed out of committee the 23rd. Referred to Rules, and passed by the Senate March 1st.
Next step would be – To the Governor.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.

In the House 2022 –
Reintroduced in Rules January 10th, passed by the House January 21st.

In the Senate 2022 –

In the House 2021 – Passed
Had a hearing in the House Committee on Environment and Energy January 29th. Passed out of committee February 4th. Referred to the House Committee on the Budget, had a hearing there February 17th, and was passed out February 19th. Referred to Rules. Passed by the House March 9th.

In the Senate 2021 – Died; returned to the House in 2022
Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology; Had a hearing March 18th and passed out of committee March 23rd. Referred to Rules; did not reach the floor.

Comments –
The bill doesn’t specify how “the costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption” are to be estimated, and whether that’s to include a social cost of carbon or not.

Summary –
The State currently includes energy costs in the life-cycle analysis it requires in considering the costs of buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. and critical facilities that it’s constructing or leasing. It also requires comparing the energy costs of at least three energy systems when designing or renovating one of these buildings; at least one of the potential systems has to “include renewable energy systems”, and at least one of them has to comply with the sustainability design guidelines for a LEED silver rating.

The bill requires considering at least one all-electric system rather that at least one complying with the LEED guidelines, and it requires “including the costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption” in the cost analysis.