HB2848 – Extends the sales and use tax exemption for hog fuel to 2045.
Prime Sponsor – Representative Chapman (D; 24th District; Clallam County) (Co-Sponsors Orcutt, Tharinger, Walsh, Blake, Tarleton, Springer, Maycumber, Fitzgibbon, and Lekanoff)
Current status – Vetoed by the Governor.
In the House – (Passed)
Had a hearing in the House Committee on Finance February 6th; passed out of committee February 8th. Referred to Rules. Passed the House February 13th. House concurred in Senate changes March 11th.

In the Senate – (Passed)
Referred to the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology. Scheduled for a hearing February 20th; not heard. Had a hearing February 26th; replaced by a striker and voted out of committee February 27th. Referred to Ways and Means; had a hearing there on March 2nd. Passed out of committee March 9th; referred to Rules. Passed the Senate March 10th. Returned to the House for consideration of concurrence with Senate changes.
Next step would be – Signature by the Governor.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.
SB6665 is a companion bill in the Senate.

Comments –
The tax preference statement for the bill says it’s “the legislature’s specific public policy objective to extend the expiration date of these tax preferences in order to increase the ability of beneficiary facilities to provide at least seventy-five percent of their employees with medical and dental insurance and a retirement plan.” I don’t know if that actually requires facilities to do anything to meet that objective…

Summary –
The law currently exempts hog fuel used to produce electricity, steam, heat, or biofuel from the sales and use tax until 2024. The bill extends that tax exemption to 2045.

The striker only extends the exemption to 2034, and it specifies that the retirement plans mentioned in the intent statement include defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, and employee investment plans with employer contributions.