2021 SSCAN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

 

  • Purpose of Document: To List SSCAN’s State Legislative Priorities for 2021, and to Briefly Describe the Manner in Which They Were Arrived at.

 

  1. Scope of Legislative Priorities
  • This document deals with statewide legislative priorities
    • SSCAN does have local legislative priorities, and these are covered elsewhere on the website
  • SSCAN’s legislative priorities focus on climate change legislation
  • However, tax reform is also included as a priority
    • This is because tax reform is critical to the long term success of climate change policy

 

  1. Principles Used to Determine Legislative Priorities
  • Proposals that are High Impact
  • Proposals that are Low Cost
  • Proposals that, if passed, Send a Statement
  • Proposals that recognize the importance of Intersectionality and a Just Transition
  • Proposals that are consistent with the objectives of Other Climate Change Organizations that SSCAN partners with

 

  1. Priorities
  • Declare a Climate Change Emergency in Washington State
  • Institute a Low Carbon Fuel Standard
  • Ban the Sale of New Internal Combustion Vehicles in Washington State by 2030
  • Pass the Healthy Environment for All (“HEAL”) Act
  • Institute Mandatory K-12 Climate Change Education in K-12 Schools
  • Ensure an Effective Rewrite of the Growth Management Act
    • More Aggressive Emission Reduction Targets
    • Utilization of Innovative Concepts (e.g., 15-Minute Communities)
  • Pass a Price on Carbon – This Should Be a Significant Price, With Short Term Impact, and an Equity Focus. We Favor the Washington Strong Proposal, But Will Favor Any Proposal That Meets Our Criteria and Has Broad Support.
  • Institute a Significant New Progressive Source of Taxation
    • To Both Raise Taxes and to Make the Tax Code More Progressive