CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1924
Chapter 346, Laws of 2024
68th Legislature
2024 Regular Session
CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES—FUSION ENERGY
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024
Passed by the House March 5, 2024 CERTIFICATE
Yeas 94 Nays 2
I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the
House of Representatives of the
LAURIE JINKINS State of Washington, do hereby
Speaker of the House of certify that the attached is
Representatives SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1924 as
passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on
the dates hereon set forth.
Passed by the Senate February 27,
2024
Yeas 48 Nays 0 BERNARD DEAN
Chief Clerk
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Approved March 28, 2024 2:36 PM FILED
March 29, 2024
Secretary of State
JAY INSLEE State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1924
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
Passed Legislature - 2024 Regular Session
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By House Environment & Energy (originally sponsored by
Representatives Shavers, Ryu, Barnard, Stearns, and Wylie)
READ FIRST TIME 01/19/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to promoting the integration of fusion technology
2 within state clean energy policies; amending RCW 43.158.020; adding a
3 new section to chapter 43.21F RCW; and creating a new section.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.21F
6 RCW to read as follows:
7 (1) In addition to the principles guiding the development and
8 implementation of the state energy strategy described in RCW
9 43.21F.088, the state must ensure that the pursuit of cleaner energy
10 sources actively includes and supports innovative, emerging, and
11 promising clean energy technologies, such as fusion energy.
12 (2) For the purposes of this section, "fusion energy" means
13 energy production derived directly or indirectly from the merger of
14 atomic nuclei.
15 (3) The legislature finds that fusion energy is a rapidly
16 advancing clean energy technology and that Washington is poised to
17 become a world leader in fusion energy development.
18 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The energy facility site evaluation
19 council and the department of health shall establish a fusion energy
20 work group of state agencies including, but not limited to, the
p. 1 SHB 1924.SL
1 department of commerce, the department of ecology, the office of the
2 governor, and the military department to identify and evaluate new
3 and existing permitting, siting, licensing, and registration pathways
4 for producing fusion energy. The fusion energy work group shall
5 involve the regulated community throughout the process. The fusion
6 energy work group shall provide an initial report to the governor and
7 legislature by December 1, 2024.
8 Sec. 3. RCW 43.158.020 and 2023 c 230 s 202 are each amended to
9 read as follows:
10 (1) The department of commerce shall develop an application for
11 the designation of clean energy projects, including facilities that
12 produce electricity with fusion energy, as clean energy projects of
13 statewide significance.
14 (2) An application to the department of commerce by an applicant
15 under this section must include:
16 (a) Information regarding the location of the project;
17 (b) Information sufficient to demonstrate that the project
18 qualifies as a clean energy project;
19 (c) An explanation of how the project is expected to contribute
20 to the state's achievement of the greenhouse gas emission limits in
21 chapter 70A.45 RCW and is consistent with the state energy strategy
22 adopted by the department of commerce, as well as any contribution
23 that the project is expected to make to other state regulatory
24 requirements for clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions, including
25 the requirements of chapter 19.405, 70A.30, 70A.60, 70A.65, 70A.535,
26 or 70A.540 RCW;
27 (d) An explanation of how the project is expected to contribute
28 to the state's economic development goals, including information
29 regarding the applicant's average employment in the state for the
30 prior year, estimated new employment related to the project,
31 estimated wages of employees related to the project, and estimated
32 time schedules for completion and operation;
33 (e) A plan for engagement and information sharing with
34 potentially affected federally recognized Indian tribes;
35 (f) A description of potential community benefits and impacts
36 from the project, a plan for community engagement in the project
37 development, and an explanation of how the applicant might use a
38 community benefit agreement or other legal document that stipulates
p. 2 SHB 1924.SL
1 the benefits that the developer agrees to fund or furnish, in
2 exchange for community support of a project; and
3 (g) Other information required by the department of commerce.
4 (3) For the purposes of this section, "fusion energy" has the
5 same meaning as defined in section 1 of this act.
Passed by the House March 5, 2024.
Passed by the Senate February 27, 2024.
Approved by the Governor March 28, 2024.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 29, 2024.
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Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.394.020, 43.158.030
Substitute Bill: 43.394.020, 43.158.030
Bill as Passed Legislature: 43.158.020
Session Law: 43.158.020