Current:Home > InvestAs Inslee’s final legislative session ends, more work remains to cement climate legacy -MoneyTrend
As Inslee’s final legislative session ends, more work remains to cement climate legacy
View
Date:2025-04-15 20:11:05
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Jay Inslee closed out the final day of his last legislative session as Washington state governor on Thursday by describing it as a banner year in the state’s fight against climate change.
“I’m confident that 50 years from now, people will look back and say this was our finest hour because we led the nation in tackling this problem,” he told reporters, highlighting a bill passed that is expected to link Washington’s carbon market with California and Quebec, which also have emission allowance auctions.
As the longest-serving governor in office in the U.S., Inslee has sought to make the state a leader in the fight against climate change. But rather than this session putting an exclamation mark on his three terms in office, uncertainty hangs in the air.
One of the biggest climate policies passed during his tenure — along with many programs it is earmarked to fund — hangs in limbo. Conservative-backed initiatives that would repeal the state’s year-old carbon pricing program will be heading to voters in November after lawmakers opted not to consider it this session.
The initiative is one of six certified after the group Let’s Go Washington, which is primarily bankrolled by hedge fund executive Brian Heywood, submitted hundreds of thousands of signatures in support of them. Initiatives that would give police greater ability to pursue people in vehicles, declare a series of rights for parents of public-school students and bar an income tax were approved by lawmakers on Monday. An initiative to repeal a tax on the sale of stocks and bonds and one that could threaten a long-term care insurance program will likely also head straight to voters.
For Inslee, this means work remains to be done long after he finishes signing bills that have made it to his desk.
“I will be active the next several months,” he said.
The year-old Climate Commitment Act, which works to cap and reduce pollution while creating revenue for investments that address climate change, raised $1.8 billion in 2023 through quarterly auctions in which emission allowances are sold to businesses covered under the act.
Inslee on Thursday highlighted lawmakers’ decision not to pass the initiatives to get rid of that policy and the 7% capital gains tax on the sale of stocks, bonds and other high-end assets, with exemptions for the first $262,000. The latter tax funds child care and school construction.
“Those initiatives jointly would gut, would kneecap, would blow a hole in all of these benefits that Washingtonians are now enjoying,” he said. “And I do not believe that Washingtonians want to gut our funding for schools. I don’t think they want to gut our funding for transportation.”
Republican lawmakers have been very supportive of the initiatives. Republican Sen. John Braun, the minority leader in that chamber, has said these programs come with downsides, including steering people out of the state who don’t want the added financial burden.
“I just fundamentally disagree that it’s going to have this overwhelmingly devastating impact,” Braun said. “Is it going to have an impact? Yes. But it’s a tradeoff.”
Inslee, who in 2020 made fighting climate change the theme of his six-month presidential campaign, is only the second Washington governor to be elected to three consecutive terms. He announced in May he would not seek a fourth term.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Shannen Doherty's divorce from Kurt Iswarienko was finalized one day before her death
- 'Brat summer' is upon us. What does that even mean?
- 9-Year-Old Boy Found Dead in Arizona Home Filled With Spiders and Gallons of Apparent Urine
- Small twin
- Photos capture fallout of global tech outage at airports, stores, Disneyland, more
- To test the Lotus Emira V-6, we first battled British build quality
- Black lawmakers are standing by Biden at a crucial moment. But some express concern
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- 5 people, including 4 children, killed in Alabama shooting
Ranking
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Meet Keshi, an oncology nurse turned pop star with a massive world tour
- New emojis aren't 'sus' or 'delulu,' they're 'giving.' Celebrate World Emoji Day
- John Williams composed Olympic gold before 1984 LA Olympics
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- What Usha Vance’s rise to prominence means to other South Asian and Hindu Americans
- American Airlines has a contract deal with flight attendants, and President Biden is happy about it
- Marine accused of flashing a Nazi salute during the Capitol riot gets almost 5 years in prison
Recommendation
Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
Kansas won’t force providers to ask patients why they want abortions while a lawsuit proceeds
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff stops by USA women’s basketball practice
5 people, including 4 children, killed in Alabama shooting
Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
Reggie Miller praises Knicks' offseason, asks fans to 'pause' Bronny James hate
A massive tech outage is causing worldwide disruptions. Here’s what we know
Adidas Apologizes for Bella Hadid Ad Campaign Referencing 1972 Munich Olympics