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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I want to invite you to an upcoming virtual town hall on Wednesday night hosted by your 13th District lawmakers: Sen. Judy Warnick, Rep. Alex Ybarra, and me. This is a great opportunity for you to ask us questions, share your thoughts and stories, and listen about key issues affecting our communities and state.
The details of the event include:
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025
- Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
- Where: Virtual via Zoom. Register here.
Fulfilling our promise to the agriculture community: House Bill 1912
One of my top priorities this session is House Bill 1912, a bipartisan piece of legislation I am sponsoring to honor the commitment made to the agriculture community when the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) was enacted. This bill is about fairness—ensuring the farmers and ranchers receive the fuel exemptions they were promised and are not burdened with unnecessary costs that threaten their livelihood.
Under the current system, agricultural fuels are supposed to be exempt from CCA-related costs. However, farmers have been charged higher prices due to the program’s implementation gaps, leaving them with increased expenses despite the exemption in law.
My bill creates a program that guarantees those who qualify for an exemption receive it. It ensures that fuel suppliers can apply for reimbursement of the added costs they incur, meeting the agriculture-exempt fuel program associated with CCA compliance, effectively restoring the intended exemption, and providing much-needed financial relief to our ag producers.
This bill has strong bipartisan support. Agriculture is a cornerstone of Washington’s economy, and we must ensure that those who feed our communities and drive our economy are not penalized by flawed policy implementation.
My bill is scheduled for a vote to move out of the House Environment and Energy Committee on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 8:00 a.m. This bill is crucial for our farmers and ranchers. I’m committed to holding the state to its promise to the agriculture community.
Some other bills that might be of interest to you
House Bill 1294 would extend the Pesticide Application Safety Committee (PASCo) until 2035. This has been an important committee for our agriculture producers. Extending this is vital to our rural communities.
House Bill 1648 will extend the education requirements for our childcare centers, helping them retain their workforce and ensuring that we keep our childcare centers in business. This bill comes from the childcare providers and is something they have wanted for several years.
House Bill 1705 will create a task force to examine ways to increase the number of large animal rural veterinarians. We are seeing a shortage of vets all around the country, and the future does not look really promising. Looking at ways to encourage and possibly help our young people enter this rewarding field is long overdue.
This virtual town hall isn’t about us—it’s about you. Your voice matters, and we want to hear your questions and thoughts on what’s impacting you the most. Whether it’s agriculture, taxes and the cost of living, community safety, or another issue close to home, this is your opportunity to speak up and be heard.
Again, to participate, register using this link.
I look forward to connecting with you and answering your questions.
It is an honor to serve the great folks of the 13th Legislative District!
Sincerely,
Tom Dent
