Check out the following updates from NYBA Lobbyist Jim Hedrick, on current legislation underway in the Washington State Legislature: 

Vessel Distances for the Protection of South Resident Killer Whales – SB 5371, Passed Legislature. Effective January 1, 2025, it is unlawful for a person to cause a vessel to approach, position a vessel in the path or behind, or cause a vessel to exceed a speed of seven knots at any point located within 1,000 yards of a South Resident Killer Whale (SRKW). It is also unlawful to fail to disengage the transmission of a vessel that is within 400 yards of a SRKW. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) must post signs at public boat launches and marinas that provide information regarding the vessel setbacks and speed limit requirements to protect SRKW. The WDFW must conduct outreach and education regarding regulations and best practices for recreational boating in waters inhabited by a SRKW including the advancement of tools for notifying boaters of SRKW presence, identifying orca ecotypes, and estimating distance on the water.

Reducing Plastic Pollution - HB 1085, Signed into Law by Governor Inslee. Beginning January 1, 2024, a person may not sell, distribute, install, or arrange for the installation of overwater structures containing expanded or extruded plastic foam, or of expanded or extruded foam blocks or floats used in overwater structures, unless the foam is fully enclosed and contained in a shell of concrete, aluminum, steel, or 0.15 inch-thick plastic. Persons in violation of these requirements are subject to civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation.

Derelict Aquatic Structures - SB 5433, Signed into Law by Governor Inslee. The bill authorizes the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to purchase or otherwise acquire lands and facilities related to derelict aquatic structures, and to remove, refurbish, or dispose of derelict aquatic structures.  SB 5433 takes effect July 23, 2023. (note: this pertains specifically to derelict aquatic structures, not derelict vessels).

Underground Storage Tanks - HB 1175, Signed into Law by Governor Inslee. Increases the rate of the Petroleum Products Tax from .15 percent to .30 percent for a state financial assurance program for owners and operators of petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs). The tax has a self-regulating feature whereby the tax temporarily ceases when the fund balance in the account exceeds $30 million and reimposed when the fund balance falls below $15 million.    HB 1175 takes effect July 23, 2023. 

Tourism Marketing - HB 1258, Signed into Law by Governor Inslee. The final bill does not increase revenue distributions to tourism from retail sales taxes collected on lodging, car rentals, and restaurants as earlier versions of the bill did. The only provision that survived in the final bill is lower match requirement for expenditures from the Statewide Tourism Marketing Account. HB 1258 takes effect July 23, 2023.

Fish and wildlife officers, HB 1369. Signed into Law by Governor Inslee. Allows law enforcement officers employed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to engage in private law enforcement off-duty employment. If an officer accepts off-duty employment on reservation, trust, or allotted lands of a federally-recognized Indian tribe, the officer must complete the Criminal Justice Training Commission's violence de-escalation and mental health training, including the curriculum of the history of police interactions with Native American communities. HB 1359 takes effect July 23, 2023.