Bill
SB 5518
Reforms the Washington State Department of Energy's financial administration with emergency authority for immediate changes, effective July 1, 2025.
Status summary
- Chaptered as Chapter 424, 2025 Laws.
- Governor signed: June 24, 2025. Legislature heads signed June 17, 2025.
- Effective date: July 1, 2025 (bill includes an emergency declaration).
- Introduced: January 13, 2025. Assigned to Natural Resources subcommittee; referred to Ways & Means.
- Key procedural milestones: public hearing (2/11/25), work sessions and committee recommendations, “Do pass with amendments” (A‑Eng) in May, final passage in both chambers in June 2025.
Purpose and intent
- The bill concerns the financial administration of the Washington State Department of Energy (hereafter “the Department”). Its stated purpose is to change how the Department’s finances are managed, accounted for, or authorized — and to put those changes into force immediately or on a near-term schedule by declaring an emergency.
What the bill does (high-level)
- The uploaded record does not include the bill text, so specific statutory language, dollar amounts, account transfers, or program-level changes are not available in this summary. Bills with this title typically address one or more of the following:
- Authorize or restructure internal accounts, funds, or fund transfers used by the Department.
- Create, modify, or sunset fee authorities or revenue sources administered by the Department.
- Approve or adjust appropriations to the Department or allow reappropriations between fiscal years.
- Change reporting, auditing, or financial oversight requirements (e.g., new reporting deadlines, audit provisions).
- Provide emergency authority for immediate expenditures or program startup pending formal budget actions.
Who is affected
- Primary: Washington State Department of Energy (administration, budgeting, and program managers).
- Secondary: state budget and fiscal offices (Office of Financial Management, Ways & Means committees), programs administered by the Department (grants, incentives, regulatory functions), and potentially entities receiving Department funds (local governments, utilities, contractors).
- Taxpayers and ratepayers may be indirectly affected if the bill changes revenue sources, fees, or uses of state funds.
Timing and implementation
- The bill was signed and chaptered in late June 2025 and bears an effective date of July 1, 2025. The emergency clause indicates the Legislature intended an expedited implementation or to avoid lapse; check the enrolled bill for whether any provisions take effect immediately upon signing or specifically on July 1.
Next steps / where to find details
- This summary is based on the bill’s title, status, and procedural history only. For full understanding of specific changes (statutory text, exact financial adjustments, appropriation amounts, compliance deadlines, and fiscal impact), consult:
- The enrolled bill text (Chapter 424, 2025 Laws).
- The bill’s fiscal note and agency fiscal impact statements.
- Committee report(s) and the A‑Engrossed version referenced in the record.
- The Department of Energy implementation guidance or rulemaking (if any).
If you’d like, I can retrieve and summarize the enrolled bill text and fiscal note to provide a detailed breakdown of precise provisions, dollar figures, and operational impacts.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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