H-2920.2
HOUSE BILL 2135
State of Washington 67th Legislature 2022 Regular Session
By Representatives Stokesbary, MacEwen, Griffey, Rude, Dufault,
Walsh, Shewmake, Jacobsen, Kraft, Hoff, Gilday, Chambers, Robertson,
Peterson, Maycumber, Vick, Kretz, Corry, Boehnke, Klippert,
Fitzgibbon, Dye, Schmick, Barkis, Caldier, Wicks, Klicker, Steele,
Walen, Graham, Ybarra, Leavitt, Paul, and Eslick
Read first time 03/03/22. Referred to Committee on State Government
& Tribal Relations.
1 AN ACT Relating to directing state agencies and authorities to
2 divest public funds supporting Russia; adding a new section to
3 chapter 43.33A RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 39 RCW; creating a
4 new section; and declaring an emergency.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
7 (1) Ukrainians are the largest group of European residents in
8 Washington and that from 2000 to 2019 Washington's Ukrainian
9 population grew 69 percent.
10 (2) Russia has engaged in an unjustified and unprovoked invasion
11 of the sovereign nation of Ukraine, in violation of international
12 law.
13 (3) Washington stands firmly in support of Ukraine's sovereignty,
14 independence, and territorial integrity and strongly condemns
15 Russia's military actions against Ukraine.
16 (4) Preventing Washington's own investment activity, whether
17 directly or indirectly, from giving aid to Russia as it commits these
18 violations of international law and human rights violations against
19 the Ukrainian people is a compelling state interest.
20 (5) Protecting Washington from financing discrimination against
21 the Ukrainian people is a compelling state interest.
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 1 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) All state agencies, including
2 institutions of higher education, shall review all agency contracts
3 to determine if the agency has any contract with an entity described
4 in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section.
5 (2) Except as provided under subsection (3) of this section and
6 to the extent practicable, all state agencies, including institutions
7 of higher education, shall immediately terminate any existing
8 contract or pending contract, and refrain from entering into any new
9 contracts, with an entity that is determined to be:
10 (a) Headquartered in Russia or has its principal place of
11 business in Russia; or
12 (b) Providing assistance to the Russian government in its
13 campaign to invade the sovereign country of Ukraine, either through
14 in-kind support or for-profit support.
15 (3) A state agency may contract with an entity described under
16 subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section if the head of the agency
17 makes a determination in writing that the contract is necessary for
18 the agency to perform its functions and that no suitable contractual
19 alternative exists.
20 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.33A
21 RCW to read as follows:
22 (1) The state investment board shall review all investments to
23 determine whether the state has any investment under the board's
24 authority with an entity described in section 2(2) (a) and (b) of
25 this act.
26 (2) Except as provided under subsection (3) of this section and
27 to the extent practicable, the state investment board shall divest
28 its money and assets from any investment in an entity described in
29 Section 2(2) (a) and (b) of this act.
30 (3) The state investment board may invest with an entity
31 described in section 2(2) (a) and (b) of this act if the board
32 determines in writing that the investment is necessary for the state
33 to perform its functions and that no suitable investment alternative
34 exists.
35 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any provision of this act or its
36 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
37 remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
38 persons or circumstances is not affected.
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1 NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Section 2 of this act constitutes a new
2 chapter in Title 39 RCW.
3 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate
4 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of
5 the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes
6 effect immediately.
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