Senate Ag committee advances bills on pesticide committee, wildlife infractions, wildfire work group and dairy inspection

On March 20 the Washington State Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee met in executive session and recommended due-pass recommendations for four bills, sending them to the next committees listed on the record.

Substitute House Bill 1294: Elena Becker, committee staff, said the substitute bill extends the expiration date of the Pesticide Application Safety Committee from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2035, and removes a restriction on an advisory subgroup conducting in-person meetings. Becker reported a fiscal estimate of $616,358 for the 2025–27 biennium and described some additional indeterminate impacts. The committee voted in favor by voice vote; the motion that the bill "receive a due pass recommendation and be sent to the ways and means committee" carried and the bill was recorded as "passed subject to signatures."

Substitute House Bill 1325: Jeff Olson summarized that the bill makes a number of changes to Fish and Wildlife enforcement by making some violations subject to civil penalties as natural resource infractions, citing examples such as hunting big game without the appropriate license, carrying a loaded shotgun in a vehicle, operating on a wetted portion of a stream bed, and constructing a rock dam in violation of department rules. Olson said there were no amendments and a fiscal note of $7,000 for the administrator of the courts. The committee moved and the bill was recorded as passed subject to signatures and referral to the rules committee.

Substitute House Bill 1539: Staff described this bill as establishing Wildfire Mitigation and Resiliency Standards Work Group with a membership including insurance, public lands, emergency management, fire chiefs, and small forest and rural landowners, and with recommendations due Dec. 1, 2025. An amendment (OLSE 268) offered by Sen. Short added three members representing real estate and consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities; the committee adopted the amendment by voice vote and then voted to recommend the amended bill be sent to the rules committee.

House Bill 1553: Committee staff reported that the bill extends the expiration date of the milk assessment for the Dairy Inspection Program from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2031. The fiscal note estimates $600,000 in receipts and expenditures for the agricultural local account in the 2025–27 biennium. The committee voted the bill "receive a due pass recommendation and be sent to the rules committee," and recorded it as passed subject to signatures.

All four measures were advanced by voice votes; the transcript records motions made by the vice chair or "Madam Vice Chair" and seconding or roll-call details were not included. The committee chair noted Senator Shoemake would join later to sign the boards if she chooses. With the votes recorded the committee concluded its business and adjourned.