Concerning green energy community funds to support school districts and nonprofit organizations that service the communities where renewable energy projects are located.

 S-0283.1

SENATE BILL 5216

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Shewmake, Chapman, and Nobles

Prefiled 01/09/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.

AN ACT Relating to green energy community funds to support school districts and nonprofit organizations that service the communities where renewable energy projects are located; amending RCW 28A.325.030 ; adding a new chapter to Title 82 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that green energy provides economic and environmental benefits by creating opportunities for jobs, and innovation by replacing dirtier forms of energy. The legislature further finds that many, but not all, of these benefits occur at the regional and global levels, beyond the districts where projects are located. It is the intent of the legislature to establish a program to ensure those broad benefits are shared with the host communities by creating pathways to invest state tax revenue back into local communities. This act provides community benefits by creating a mechanism to ensure that more of the taxes from new green energy projects are fed back into the districts where they are located.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.