Committee Hears Bill to Re‑classify Environmental Violations as Felonies; Sponsors and Labor Disagree on Worker Protections
The House Committee on Environment and Energy heard ESSB 53 60, which would create three tiers of criminal violations for state environmental laws and impose penalties up to class B felony. Sponsors cited repeat polluters; labor and industry warned the bill could expose frontline workers to criminal charges for accidents.
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The House Committee on Environment and Energy heard testimony on ESSB 53 60 on Tuesday, a bill that would create three tiers of criminal violations under the Water Pollution Control Act, the Clean Air Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act with penalties ranging from gross misdemeanor to class B felony.
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