wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2181 > Original Bill
Washington experienced significant atmospheric river and winter weather events throughout December 2025 producing high winds, heavy snowfall, ice accumulation, and extreme rainfall resulting in major coastal, river, and localized flooding, saturated soils, landslides, stream bank and slope erosion, fallen trees and tree limbs, and flying debris, which have caused impacts across Washington state resulting in hazardous conditions affecting the people of Washington, homes, property, businesses, agriculture, transportation systems, and the state economy.
The state has received a windfall of $690,000,000 in climate commitment act auction revenues this year as well.
The climate commitment act is intended to address major negative events and help people and communities recover from climate impacts.
The legislature intends for up to $690,000,000 of the windfall revenue to be used to pay for response activities to the 2025 emergency event including the cleanup, repair, restoration, and replacement of the transportation system.
The sum of $690,000,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2027, from the multimodal transportation account to the department of transportation, for the purposes of conducting or paying for cleanup, repairs, replacement, and restoration of transportation infrastructure that was damaged during the 2025 December atmospheric river and winter weather event covered by emergency proclamation 25-07. The funding is to be used for cleanup, repairs, replacement, and restoration of Interstate 90, state route numbers 2, 167, and 410, and other transportation infrastructure as the secretary determines necessary to restore mobility.
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The climate investment account is created in the state treasury. Except as otherwise provided in chapter 316, Laws of 2021, all receipts from the auction of allowances authorized in this chapter must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
Projects or activities funded from the account must meet high labor standards, including family sustaining wages, providing benefits including health care and employer-contributed retirement plans, career development opportunities, and maximize access to economic benefits from such projects for local workers and diverse businesses. Each contracting entity's proposal must be reviewed for equity and opportunity improvement efforts, including: (i) Employer paid sick leave programs; (ii) pay practices in relation to living wage indicators such as the federal poverty level; (iii) efforts to evaluate pay equity based on gender identity, race, and other protected status under Washington law; (iv) facilitating career development opportunities, such as apprenticeship programs, internships, job-shadowing, and on-the-job training; and (v) employment assistance and employment barriers for justice affected individuals.
Moneys in the account may be used only for projects and programs that achieve the purposes of the greenhouse gas emissions cap and invest program established under this chapter and for tribal capacity grants under RCW 70A.65.305. During the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium, moneys in the account may also be used for tribal capacity grant activities supporting climate resilience and adaptation, developing tribal clean energy projects, applying for state or federal grant funding, and other related work; and for providing payments to agricultural fuel purchasers. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, moneys in the account may also be used for tribal capacity grant activities supporting climate resilience and adaptation, developing tribal clean energy projects, applying for state or federal grant funding, and other related work. Moneys in the account as described in this subsection must first be appropriated for the administration of the requirements of this chapter, in an amount not to exceed five percent of the total receipt of funds from allowance auction proceeds under this chapter. Beginning July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the state treasurer shall distribute funds in the account that exceed the amounts appropriated for the purposes of this subsection (2) and transfers allowable pursuant to subsection (4) of this section as follows:
Seventy-five percent of the moneys to the climate commitment account created in RCW 70A.65.260; and
Twenty-five percent of the moneys to the natural climate solutions account created in RCW 70A.65.270.
The allocations specified in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section must be reviewed by the legislature on a biennial basis based on the changing needs of the state in meeting its clean economy and greenhouse gas reduction goals in a timely, economically advantageous, and equitable manner.
During the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys in the climate investment account to the carbon emissions reduction account, the climate commitment account, the natural climate solutions account, and the multimodal transportation account under RCW 47.66.070.
FOR THE STATE TREASURER—ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFER
Climate Investment Account—State Appropriation: For transfer to the Multimodal Transportation Account—State$690,000,000
The amount authorized in this section represents the amount of receipts from the auction of allowances authorized in chapter 70A.65 RCW received, as of December 3, 2025, in excess of the forecasted amounts assumed by the legislature for the purposes of the omnibus operating, the omnibus capital, and the transportation appropriations enacted by the legislature in the 2025 legislative session. The funding is transferred for the purposes of section 2 of this act.
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.