HB1756 – Allowing large solar or wind projects to pay a production tax dedicated to providing local benefits instead of state property taxes.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Ramel (D; 40th District; Bellingham) (Co-Sponsors Klicker, Rude, Schmidt – Rs; Duerr, Reed, Kloba, Doglio, Senn, Ryu, and Macri – Ds)
Current status – Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology and passed out of committee March 24th. Had a hearing in Ways and Means March 31st. Passed out of committee April 4th and referred to Rules. Passed by the Senate April 19th.
Next step would be – To the Governor.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.

In the House – Passed
Had a hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 on Tuesday February 7th. Replaced by a substitute and passed out of committee March 9th. Referred to Rules, and passed by the House March 16th.

House Substitute –
The changes made by the substitute are summarized by staff at the beginning of it.

Summary –
The bill would allow the owners of wind or solar projects over one megawatt AC to apply for an exemption from property taxes on projects and connected storage that began construction after July 1, 2023. They would pay a production excise tax on them instead. Solar projects could choose to be taxed at $80/month for each MW of capacity for ten years, or at $75/MW for fifteen years. Wind projects could choose to be taxed at $150/month for each MW for ten years or at $130/month for fifteen. Storage capacity would be taxed at $100/MW hour. (It’s not clear how long the storage tax is intended to apply.)

Revenue from the tax would go to a new Renewable Energy Local Benefit Account. Each county would receive 42.5% of the tax paid by a renewable energy system located in it. Each tribe would receive 15% of the tax paid by a system impacting its resources or rights, in proportion to the number of enrolled members of each affected tribe. Each school district would receive an appropriation from the remaining 42.5% of the tax paid by a system located in the same county, in proportion to the number of students it served.