For our first episode of 2024, during the first week of this year’s legislative session, host Austin Jenkins sits down for the full hour with Senators Joe Nguyen and Drew MacEwen, the chair and ranking Republican, respectively, of the Senate Environment, Energy, & Technology Committee.
The committee is expected to deal with several hot-button issues during the 2024 legislative session, including…
…whether changes should be made to the Climate Commitment Act ICCA) — and if changes are made, whether voters will need to weigh in on those changes
…how to deal with a possible citizen initiative to repeal the CCA
…a proposal to require oil companies to report supply and pricing info to the state — a bill stemming at least in part from partisan debate over high gas prices
…legislation to facilitate the linking of Washington’s carbon market with the markets of California and Quebec
…proposals for energy bill rebates, and car tab rebates
…whether and how to regulate the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence
…the continuing discussion about energy infrastructure, both electricity production/siting and electricity transmission
…a bill to phase out gas-powered outdoor equipment like lawn mowers and weedeaters
In addition, the 2024 Legislature will discuss how to spend proceeds from the CCA, which has already brought in over a billion new dollars to the state via carbon auctions.
