Heating-help bill clears Legislature
OLYMPIA – Moving with rare speed, the Legislature on Wednesday rushed through a bill to steer $7.6 million more into home heating assistance for low-income families.
The House of Representatives and Senate both passed House Bill 2730 unanimously. Gov. Gregoire – who has repeatedly said she supports the proposal – is expected to sign it into law by the end of the week. The Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development predicts that the bill would make an average of $350 available to an additional 14,120 households. It would also allow for 350 low-income homes to be weatherized.
“This bill must be passed now, while people are struggling with high heating bills,” said prime sponsor Rep. Tami Green, D-Lakewood. “If we were to wait to take action on this bill, we would be doing a disservice to the citizens of Washington state.”
Republicans, eclipsed by the Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate, have repeatedly pointed out that they called for a similar change back in September. They wanted the governor to convene a one-day session then, so they could cap energy taxes for now.
“She (Gregoire) didn’t do that,” Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, said Tuesday night. “So we lost three months of heating for low-income citizens.”
The money will be distributed to local community agencies, such as the Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs, that manage the energy assistance programs. For a map of which agencies serve which parts of the state, eligibility requirements, phone numbers, and how to apply, see www.liheapwa.org. Assuming that Gregoire signs the bill into law, the state hopes to start telling agencies how much money they can expect by the end of next week.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday also passed a bill to exempt farmers from sales-and-use tax on diesel fuel used for off-road purposes, such as farm equipment. Farm diesel, which is dyed red, is already exempt from the state’s gas tax, but not from sales-and-use tax.
The bill, HB 2424, does not, however, include a tax exemption for diesel used for home heating. It passed 96 to 1 and heads to the Senate for consideration.