Bills: HB2421, HB1652, HB2367, HB2284

Keywords: 6PPD, tires, environmental impact, public health, chemical regulation, HB1652, Salish Sea Protection and Marine Clean Fuels Act, marine fuel, low-sulfur fuel, sulfur emissions, ocean-going vessels, shipping, maritime pollution, air quality, particulate matter, Department of Ecology, port visit, regulated waters, fuel switching, vessel emissions

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several environmental bills. House Bill 2284, aimed at reducing litter, would remove a scheduled increase in plastic bag thickness, preserve penalties on thicker bags, and create a Litter Solutions Task Force. Supporters from business, retail, agriculture, and recycling groups said it takes a data-driven, collaborative approach and avoids higher consumer costs; Ecology said it supports removing the thickness increase but raised budget concerns and suggested adding more task force members. Opponents or cautions focused on implementation costs and the need to align with the state’s upcoming litter study. No vote was taken in the hearing. House Bill 1652 would require certain ocean-going vessels in Washington waters to use fuel with no more than 0.1% sulfur, with Ecology overseeing enforcement and a proposed substitute clarifying vessel coverage and recordkeeping. Supporters, including environmental, public health, port, and tribal voices, said the bill would reduce air pollution and toxic scrubber washwater that harms marine life and communities. Ports, shipping interests, and industry groups opposed or raised concerns, arguing the bill could effectively prohibit scrubbers, burden vessels and ports, and create compliance and economic issues. The hearing also included questions about whether cruise ships were already voluntarily avoiding scrubber discharges in Puget Sound. House Bill 2367 would end remaining coal-related exemptions by limiting cap-and-invest exemptions to pre-2026 emissions, removing limits on additional greenhouse gas regulation for the Centralia coal plant, and repealing coal sales and use tax exemptions. The sponsor and environmental groups said it would align state law with the planned coal phaseout and prevent any return to coal combustion after the plant’s retirement date. Business and petroleum representatives warned that if the plant were pulled into cap-and-invest, the allowance market could be affected and the program might need adjustment. The committee then heard House Bill 2421, which would ban 6PPD and regrettable substitutes in tires by 2035 and impose a 6PPD mitigation fee starting in 2027 to fund monitoring and cleanup. Supporters from salmon, city, tribal, youth, and environmental groups said 6PPD is a major cause of salmon mortality and that the fee would help fund mitigation; tire manufacturers, retailers, trucking, and business groups opposed the bill, arguing there is no proven alternative yet, the fee would raise costs, and the timeline could create safety and liability concerns. No votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there anyone else wishing to testify for or against HB1652?

Bills: HB514, HB1652, HB2117, HB2298, HB3269, HB46, HB46

Keywords: maternal health, maternal care, pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, doula, birth worker, midwife, obstetric care, women's health, rural health, health workforce, workforce development, trauma-informed care, public outreach campaign, health equity, minority health, underserved communities, Texas Department of State Health Services, HHSC

Bills: HB2391, HB2294, HB2374, HB1997, HB2147, HB2185, HB1641, HB2195, HB2023, HB2031, HB2033, HB1937, HB2586, HB2575, HB2030, HB2115, HB2233, HB1801, HB1546, HB2132, HB2102, HB2356, HB2457, HB2292, HB2554, HB676, HB1528, HB2061, HB2094, HB2095, HB2181, HB2369, HB2578, HB2493, HB1642, HB1991, HB1652, HB2104, HB2593, HB1553, HB1823, HB1918, HB1860, HB2604, HB2605, HB2001, HB2437, HB1947, HB2384, HB2473, HB2140, HB1458, HB2603, HB2411, HB1611, HB2138, HB2141, HB2284, HB1568, HB1924, HB1928, HB2570

Keywords: tax holiday, school supplies, general excise tax, Hawaii, consumer savings, education, land transfer, public schools, Department of Education, property conveyance, Act 307, Kauai, Maui, shade trees, fruit trees, educational program, climate change, tree canopy, environmental education, native plants

Transcript Highlights:

• HB1652 HB1652 HB1652 moves<00:44:50.800><c> away</c><00:44:51.040><c> from</c><00:44:51.200><c> that<

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on February 3, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing a two-minute limit and noting that bills would die if the hearing ran past noon. For HB 1848, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development both supported the measure with technical, non-substantive amendments. Testimony focused on requiring early consultation about water availability in district boundary amendment petitions, with water officials explaining that the petitioner should submit a written statement reflecting consultation and that the goal was to identify water constraints earlier in the development process. The Land Use Commission’s representative opposed the bill, arguing that water availability is already addressed through existing environmental review and agency consultation, that the issue had been raised and rejected before, and that the proposal could create unnecessary delay or litigation. The committee then heard HB 1728 on rainwater catchment systems. The Commission on Water Resource Management said it acknowledged the bill’s intent but deferred to counties and other regulatory agencies, including the Department of Health, on regulatory implications. Hawaii Realtors testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing shown. For HB 1652 on storm water management systems, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections created by Act 281 (“Sharkey’s Law”) and increase drowning risk for children by exempting certain water features from safety requirements. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii supported the bill, saying the language clarifies and better balances child safety with practical green stormwater infrastructure, including depth-based limits and exemptions for certain agricultural ponds. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the agricultural pond exemption, saying such ponds are used for irrigation, livestock, and fire control and are generally away from the public. A private testifier, Allison Schaers, opposed the bill and described her daughter’s drowning in a detention basin, arguing that poor maintenance can turn stormwater features into dangerous hazards. The hearing ended without any recorded committee action or vote in the excerpt provided.