Capital Budget Committee reports out Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5303 on water permitting deadlines

On Tuesday, April 8, the Capital Budget Committee voted to report Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,303 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation; the clerk announced a 16-yes, three-excused tally.

Rob Hatfield, staff to the committee, described the measure as “Senate engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5,303 relating to pushing a deadline back from 2025 to 02/1935 by which, certain water facilities have to be permitted and funded in order, to erase certain deadlines in, with regard to the Tanoi Community Forest.”

The bill discussion in committee was brief. Representative Steele thanked staff for the briefing and urged members to support the measure, saying, “staff did a great job briefing this.” Steele also described the bill as part of a collaborative effort that helps address a challenging water issue in the Yakima Basin and urged a yes vote.

Vice Chair Callan moved that the bill, as amended by the Agricultural Natural Resources Committee, be reported out with a due-pass recommendation; a second was recorded but not named in the transcript. The committee used an expedited voice vote and a subsequent rule vote; the clerk announced the final count as 16 yes, three excused.

Committee members and staff then discussed interim planning and next steps for school construction and other committee priorities; the chair asked members to send ideas to the chair, ranking member Steele and Vice Chair Callan for compilation and prioritization. The meeting adjourned after a brief staff briefing and administrative remarks.

Details recorded in the transcript indicate the committee acted procedurally to advance the bill; the transcript contains a garbled reference to the new deadline date in the bill text, which is not clearly readable in the record provided.