WashingtonCertain counties and cities may plan for freight rail uses
Certain small border counties and their cities may adopt land-use rules for freight rail-related uses near short-line railroads.
What it does
Counties that border both the Cascade Mountains and another country and have fewer than 50,000 people, plus their cities, may allow freight rail-related uses near short-line railroads.
Argument forLocal governments could make it easier to use resource lands near short-line railroads for businesses that depend on freight rail.
Argument againstAllowing more freight-related development near agricultural, forest, and mineral lands could create conflicts with efforts to conserve those lands.
More detail
Certain counties and cities may adopt development rules allowing freight rail-related uses near short-line railroads. This covers counties bordering both the Cascade Mountains and another country, with populations under 50,000, and cities within those counties. The rules concern agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands next to short-line railroads. The provision permits adoption of development rules; it does not require these counties or cities to approve a particular project. The bill's listed effective date is June 11, 2026. The supplied text gives no separate end date for this permission.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 30Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 30Chapter 247, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 30Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 9Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 5Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 4President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 3Third reading, passed; yeas, 54; nays, 39; absent, 0; excused, 5.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#33). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 25Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 23Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 20Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 20Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Feb 20LG - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 20Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 8:30 AM.
- Feb 12First reading, referred to Local Government.Minor
- Feb 10Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#19). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 4Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 30Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Jan 29Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 29LGV - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Jan 29Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 22Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 19Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Local Government.Minor
- 2025
- Dec 1Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
TransportationAgricultureGovernment & Ethics