Author Archives: ericlafontaine

Newsletter | Building bipartisan support this session | Feb. 11, 2025

I came into the 2025 legislative session to find common ground with the Senate majority – and it’s working.

Four full weeks into this year’s session, 17 of the 25 bills I’ve filed as the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee have attracted co-sponsorship from across the political aisle.

My bills cover topics ranging from increasing election security, SB 5014, and increasing efficiencies when siting energy projects to strengthening Washington’s leadership and accountability on climate policy and emissions data and modifying motor-vehicle emissions standards, SB 5091.

The Tri-Cities region is poised to lead Washington’s clean-energy revolution. By streamlining energy-project siting and embracing advanced nuclear and hydrogen technologies, we’re creating jobs while securing our energy future, and SB 5015 will help support this.

Other bipartisan bills I have filed would modify cost-of-living adjustments for older, retired public employees (SB 5113), improve the process for payouts of retirement benefits when a retiree or beneficiary dies (SB 5302), and create prohibitions on the purchase of small, unmanned aircraft manufactured or assembled by certain foreign entities (SB 5302).

I am also a co-sponsor on several majority-party bills, including SB 5329, which concerns better regulating the installation of smoke-detection devices; SB 5338, which would create a veteran’s affairs advisory committee; SB 5401, which concerns wholesale power purchases by electric utilities under the Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act; and SB 5430, which deals with the approval of electric-utility wildfire-mitigation plans.

As your State Senator, I remain committed to fostering a collaborative spirit, ensuring that every voice is heard as we work together to address our state and district’s most pressing challenges.

Two of Boehnke’s higher-ed bills move forward from committee

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke aimed at improving access to education was endorsed today by the state Senate’s higher-education committee.

Committee members, who include Boehnke, supported two of his bills. One is Senate Bill 5542, to accommodate more enrollment in high-school completion programs at community and technical colleges; the second is Senate Bill 5543, which would expand eligibility for College Bound scholarships.

“While we need to be thoughtful from a budget standpoint about how and when the eligibility for financial assistance is expanded, I am also interested in removing barriers to education,” said Boehnke, R-Kennewick. “By offering a new level of fairness and equity, these bills would also offer new opportunities to prospective students across our state, particularly in the 8th District.”

Both of Boehnke’s measures have bipartisan sponsorship and were introduced in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Their next stop is the Senate Ways and Means and Rules Committees, both of which Boehnke also serves.

SB 5543 would add those who receive a high-school equivalency certificate to the eligibility list for College Bound scholarships.

“Not every student learns the same way and a lot of kids find success in different types of learning environments. Smaller classes, a more fluid learning pace, and online access work really well for some students,” Boehnke explained. “This bill gives these kids better access to more scholarships to continue their learning journey.”

SB 5542 would eliminate the requirement that a student be 19 years of age or older to be eligible for a High School Completion Program tuition and fee waiver.

Boehnke has two other bills before the higher-ed committee. SB 5618 would create more transparency by requiring colleges and universities to post admissions information and data.

Senate Bill 5619 would establish minimum enrollment thresholds for in-state students so that Washington residents face less competition from out-of-state applicants for enrollment slots at the state’s public universities. The bill would require state and regional colleges and universities to have Washington residents comprise 75% of their fall first-year student enrollment.

“I’d like to encourage constituents to reach out the committee chairs and voice their support for these bills,” Boehnke said.

June Robinson is the chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and can be reached at (360) 786=7674 or email at June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov. Lt. Governor Denny Heck is the chair of the Senate Rules Committee and can be reached at (360) 786-7000 or email at ltgov@ltgov.wa.gov.

The Senate’s policy committees, including the higher-education committee, have a Feb. 21 deadline for taking action on bills; only legislation related to the budget may remain under consideration through the April 27 end of the session.

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Boehnke votes no on bill to dismantle parental rights

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Just 10 months after voting for Washington’s parental-rights act, Sen. Matt Boehnke joined every Republican state senator Wednesday to oppose a partisan effort to strip many important rights from the law.

The Kennewick lawmaker made his concerns clear before Senate Bill 5181 was passed along party lines, 30-19.

“We heard the voice of the people last year, loud and clear, that people from across my district and the state, wanted to trust what’s going on in our schools, what’s going on with our students, and what’s going on in our families, especially when we have medical issues,” Boehnke said, speaking to his colleagues in the Senate chamber. “We want to build that trust back into our schools and this bill does not do that.”

Boehnke said the supporters of SB 5181 failed to explain why they are pushing it through so quickly, to the point of claiming the bill addresses an emergency situation.

“Every Democratic senator voted to pass I-2081 in March. Every Democratic senator voted yesterday to do away with some of the most important rights the initiative guaranteed. You wonder what changed,” Boehnke said.

At the beginning of the 2024 session, I-2081 was submitted to the Legislature after 454,000 Washington voters signed petition sheets supporting the measure. Legislators passed the initiative a few days before adjourning, and the new law took effect in June.

“We were told this bill simply fixes some issues with the I-2081 language, but if that was true, why treat this like emergency legislation so the voters can’t respond with a referendum? There’s something else going on here, and the people who want these changes aren’t being transparent,” Boehnke said.

As passed by the Senate majority, SB 5181 would eliminate or weaken parents’ access to school-related medical information, including prior notification when medical services are offered (except in emergencies), notification when medical services or medication could impact health insurance, and notification when school-arranged medical treatment results in follow-up care.

SB 5181 now goes to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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Boehnke files measure to protect lower Snake River dams

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, has filed legislation encouraging federal lawmakers to protect the four lower Snake River dams from removal.

Senate Joint Memorial 8010 formally requests approval of the Northwest Energy Security Act, introduced late last month by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse and an Idaho senator. That act is about safeguarding the hydroelectric power, irrigation networks and economic stability the dams provide.

“The dams are essential to Washington’s energy security, transportation networks and agriculture,” Boehnke said. “New leadership across the federal government makes this an ideal time to take a more proactive response to those who have been blaming the dams for harming salmon when good science says otherwise.”

Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams lie between Clarkston and Pasco. They supply reliable and carbon-free electricity that serves thousands of homes, businesses and industries. It is estimated that 750,000 homes rely on the power generated by the four lower dams.

The former Biden administration supported dismantling the dams, which would be the largest dam removal project in U.S. history.

“My legislation highlights the efficiency of our hydroelectric dams, which provide low-cost electricity essential to meeting the goals set forth by Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act. They also enable agricultural irrigation across the region, create a river-based economy and support regional fish-conservation efforts,” Boehnke added.

“Breaching the lower Snake River dams could add 3 million metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere if fossil-fuel electricity is the replacement. It could also raise the region’s electricity costs by $800 million, including a 50% jump in the Bonneville Power Administration’s power costs. This is not a viable solution to supporting all of the increased electricity needs in the future as required by the Climate Commitment Act. This could increase energy costs in our homes by 25%.”

The 105-day legislative session began Jan. 13 and is scheduled to conclude on April 27

LISTEN

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Boehnke legislation attracts strong bipartisan interest

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, came into the 2025 legislative session to find common ground with the Senate majority – and it’s working.

Two full weeks into this year’s session, 14 of the 17 bills filed by Boehnke, the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee, have attracted co-sponsorship from across the political aisle.

Boehnke’s bills cover topics ranging from increasing election security, SB 5014, and increasing efficiencies when siting energy projects to strengthening Washington’s leadership and accountability on climate policy and emissions data and modifying motor-vehicle emissions standards, SB 5091.

“The Tri-Cities region is poised to lead Washington’s clean-energy revolution. By streamlining energy-project siting and embracing advanced nuclear and hydrogen technologies, we’re creating jobs while securing our energy future,” he said, referring to SB 5015.

Other bipartisan Boehnke bills would provide tax exemptions for qualifying farm equipment, SB 5092; modify cost-of-living adjustments for older, retired public employees, SB 5113; improve the process for payouts of retirement benefits when a retiree or beneficiary dies, and create prohibitions on the purchase of small, unmanned aircraft manufactured or assembled by certain foreign entities (SB 5302).

Boehnke is also a co-sponsor on several majority-party bills, including SB 5329, which is about better regulating the installation of smoke-detection devices; SB 5338, which would create a veteran’s affairs advisory committee; SB 5400, aimed at supporting local news journalism; SB 5401, which concerns wholesale power purchases by electric utilities under the Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act; and SB 5430, which deals with approvals of electric-utility wildfire-mitigation plans.

The 105-day legislative session began Jan. 13 and is scheduled to conclude on April 27.

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Boehnke files bill to restrict governor’s influence on siting of energy projects

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA…Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, the new ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee (ENET), has pre-filed a bill that is aimed at reforming the siting of energy projects by ensuring the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) has the final say, rather than the governor.

Boehnke believes a recent EFSEC process to approve the revised site certification agreement for the Horse Heaven wind farm in the 8th District did not properly account for local concerns and gave the governor too much authority. To remedy this, Boehnke has filed SB 5015. It will be formally introduced when the Legislature convenes Monday for its 2025 session.

“Senate Bill 5015 is drawn from the lessons learned from recent projects where the governor has sought to influence council decisions,” Boehnke said. “The bill would confirm that the council is actually in a better position than the governor to make the final decision because the council has done the hard work of reviewing the projects and hearing from all sides.”

“Removing the governor from the final approval process would have the added benefits of depoliticizing the process and help make this process more efficient and effective. This bill will apply to any governor and seeks to improve an important state process. If passed, the bill is not retroactive or specific to any particular project.”

The energy facility site evaluation process culminates in a recommendation to the governor as the final step. Boehnke believes the site evaluation process would be improved if the council had the authority to make the final decision without the necessity of making a recommendation to the governor.

Boehnke expects his bill to be considered by the Senate ENET committee. The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to end on April 27.

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Legislative Latte Rescheduled – Update

We have rescheduled the Legislative Latte for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Tri City Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Center.

Last Friday night I was caught up in a five-car pileup on Manastash Ridge on I-82 heading home to Kennewick. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. However, the incident caused me to miss both of my Legislative Latte events Saturday morning, which was a disappointment to those that arrived for the meeting. It was difficult for me to not attend and I appreciate the kindness and understanding that was exhibited by the dozens of constituents that showed up for both events.

Please mark your calendar and plan to join me on Friday, Jan.3, 2025, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the the Tri City Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Center, located at 7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.

If you would like to RSVP for the event, please send me an email at matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov or call my assistant Virginia Hall at (360) 786-7614.

LEGISLATIVE LATTE WITH SEN. BOEHNKE

Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce

Tri-City Business Center

Bechtel Board Room

7130 W Grandridge Blvd

Kennewick, WA 99336

Boehnke bill seeks to free Washington from California vehicle emissions rules

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA…Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, the new Republican leader on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee, has introduced a bill ahead of the 2025 legislative session that aims to separate Washington from California’s vehicle-emission standards.

Senate Bill 5091 would direct the state Department of Ecology to adopt rules that align with federal standards rather than California’s. Should the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waiver that allows California’s emissions standards to depart from federal standards be reversed, the proposal is expected to receive attention in Olympia.

Boehnke’s bill also requires Ecology to submit yearly reports on Washington’s progress toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“Year after year lawmakers have tried in vain to get Ecology to track the state’s GHG emissions better,” Boehnke explained. “The public deserves to know, to determine if the programs meant to reduce emissions are actually working.”

The system requires reporting every two years, but Ecology has fallen behind and only has data up through 2019. Supposedly, Boehnke said, data through 2021 will be made available by the end of 2024.

“Whether the data is five years old or just three years behind, that isn’t good enough if we are to assess the effectiveness of programs like the Climate Commitment Act.,” he explained.

Boehnke noted that SB 5091 does not change the state’s GHG targets but would simply hold the state more accountable for its progress toward those targets.

Under the federal Clean Air Act, the federal government sets vehicle emissions standards, but California is allowed to differ, and states may choose to follow California’s rules. Washington is one of several that has.

Boehnke said the incoming presidential administration is widely expected to rescind the waiver recently granted to California waivers. Washington law still requires DOE rules to match California. If SB 5091 passes, this will change, and Washington will follow the federal rules.

Boehnke expects his bill to be considered by the Senate ENET committee. The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to start Jan. 13 and end April 27.

AUDIO: A new bill seeks to separate Washington from California’s vehicle-emission standards while enhancing emissions reporting. Tracy Ellis explains. #waleg

LISTEN: https://ow.ly/hFvE50Uvvnq

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Boehnke to lead Republicans on Senate energy committee

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA … Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, has been elevated to Ranking Member on the Senate Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee (ENET) for the 2025 legislative session.

He will continue on the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is joining the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee as well as the powerful Rules Committee.

Boehnke, who served on the ENET committee during the Legislature’s 2023-24 term, said he is honored to move up to the committee’s top Republican position.

“The work of the ENET committee lines up well with the 8th District’s interests. I am particularly focused on pursuing advances in nuclear power, hydrogen, and emergency technologies that support grid reliability, energy supply, and energy conservation, as those are important not only here but statewide,” said Boehnke.

“Having a larger role on this committee will also help me in reaching across the aisle and collaborating with the chair and the majority party to address the serious issues impacting our state.”

As a member of Ways and Means, Boehnke will be involved in developing the next state budget, and with the WSU Tri-Cities campus in his district, the new higher-education assignment is a good fit.

The Rules Committee serves as a gatekeeper, determining which of the bills approved at the committee level will be eligible for consideration by the full Senate.

More information about Boehnke is at mattboehnke.src.wastateleg.org. The 2025 Legislative Session begins Jan. 13, 2024,

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