Bill > HB1715

This bill requires the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) to conduct a comprehensive review of the costs state agencies incur while complying with the state energy performance standard. The review will analyze a sample of state-owned buildings, examining expenditures from fiscal year 2020 onwards, including both state and non-state funding sources. The committee must break down spending on capital upgrades and energy management, assess the cost-effectiveness of investments, estimate energy savings, and quantify job creation resulting from these efforts. The analysis will categorize buildings by type (such as office buildings, schools, and correctional facilities) and include buildings from both eastern and western Washington. The committee is required to estimate costs, identify funding sources, and analyze energy audit trends. The department of commerce must provide relevant data, and JLARC must submit a final report to legislative committees by June 30, 2027. The bill includes a sunset provision that expires on January 1, 2029, and will become null and void if specific funding is not provided in the omnibus appropriations act by June 30, 2025.