wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1336 > Original Bill
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Analog utility meter" means an electro-mechanical utility meter that measures a utility consumer's electric, water, or gas use and does not contain or use electronic components or switch mode power supply and does not extract, store, or transmit private utility use data or radiofrequency radiation.
"Consumer-owned electric utility" means a municipal electric utility formed under Title 35 RCW, a public utility district formed under Title 54 RCW, an irrigation district formed under chapter 87.03 RCW, a cooperative formed under chapter 23.86 RCW, or a mutual corporation or association formed under chapter 24.06 RCW, that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to more than one retail electric customer in the state.
"Digital utility meter" means a radiofrequency-transmitting or nontransmitting utility meter that uses electronic components including, but not limited to, switch mode power supply and antennas and batteries, to measure, extract, store, or transmit electric, water, or gas use.
"Electric utility" means a consumer-owned electric utility or investor-owned electric utility as defined in this section.
"Gas utility" has the same definition as "gas company" in RCW 80.04.010.
"Investor-owned electric utility" means a company owned by investors that meets the definition of "electrical company" as defined in RCW 80.04.010 and is engaged in distributing electricity to one or more retail electric customers in the state.
"Utility consumer" means an end-user of utility services from any electric utility, gas utility, or water utility with a meter assigned to the consumer at the consumer's premises.
"Water utility" means every corporation, company, association, joint stock association, partnership, and person, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever, and every city or town owning, controlling, operating, or managing any water system for hire within this state.
A utility consumer may decline permission to an electric utility, gas utility, or water utility to:
Replace an existing analog utility meter with a digital utility meter; or
Install a digital utility meter.
An electric utility, gas utility, or water utility must replace a digital utility meter with an analog utility meter if requested by a utility consumer, at no cost to the utility consumer. For the purposes of this section, no cost includes no penalty, no fee, no service charge, nor any other cost.
An electric utility, gas utility, or water utility may not install a digital utility meter for a utility consumer unless the utility provides written notice to the consumer no less than 90 days before the scheduled installation so that the consumer may decline installation if desired according to subsection (1) of this section. The written notice must clearly include the following information:
The utility consumer has the right to decline permission to the utility to install a digital utility meter and declining permission shall be at no cost to the utility consumer;
The utility consumer may, at any time after installation of a digital utility meter, require the utility to remove the meter and replace it with an analog utility meter at no cost to the utility customer; and
If the utility consumer informs the utility in writing that the consumer suffers from an electromagnetic sensitivity and the transmitted and unintended radiofrequency radiation from both transmitting and nontransmitting digital meters poses a health threat to the consumer, the utility must comply with the consumer's instruction within 10 days of receipt of instruction. In all other cases, the utility must comply with the utility consumer's instruction within 30 days of receipt of instruction.
For any building or property with multiple utility consumers of electricity, water, or gas, each electric utility, water utility, or gas utility must comply with subsection (3) of this section by:
Gathering responses from utility consumers in such a building or property to determine the percentage of utility consumers who decline permission for installation of digital utility meters. If at least 50 percent of utility consumers decline permission for installation of digital utility meters, the utility may not install new digital utility meters or upgrade existing digital utility meters in such a building; and
Removing a digital utility meter when requested by a utility consumer and replacing it with an analog utility meter.
For no less than three years, each electric utility, gas utility, and water utility must maintain records of:
All requests from utility consumers to remove or replace a digital utility meter with an analog utility meter; and
All responses the utility receives from utility consumers when the utility requests to install a digital utility meter.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.