RCW 19.405.120 (Sec. 120)

Symbol of law and justice and plants growing inside the light bulbs. Green eco renewable energy concept. Regulations, restrictions, prohibition.

RCW 19.405.120 (Sec. 120) states that it is the intent of the Washington State Legislature to demonstrate progress toward making energy assistance funds available to low-income households. It requires utilities to make programs and funding available for energy assistance to low-income households. Each utility must demonstrate progress in providing energy assistance pursuant to assessments and plans developed under the statute.

Commerce is required under Sec. 120 to submit a biennial report to the Legislature that includes:

  • A statewide summary of energy assistance programs, energy burden, and energy assistance need
  • An identification and quantification of current expenditures on low-income energy assistance
  • An evaluation the effectiveness of additional optimal mechanisms for energy assistance including, customer rates, a low-income specific discount, system benefits charges, and public and private funds
  • An assessment of mechanisms to prioritize energy assistance towards low-income households with a higher energy burden

Commerce published its first biennial energy assistance report in 2023. The report and supporting materials are available below: 

2025 Legislative Report Workshop Series

Upcoming events

Workshop #1 comment deadline

Deadline: Fri, Aug 2

Comments on Commerce’s July 18 workshop are due by Friday, August 2. A comment form is provided below.

Workshop #2

1-4 pm, Mon, Aug 19

Commerce is hosting its second workshop to inform its low-income energy assistance 2025 legislative report. The workshop will review utility program data submitted in April 2024 and statewide energy assistance need and energy insecurity data. The workshop will also include a discussion of additional mechanisms of assistance and ways to prioritize assistance to low-income households.

Workshop #2 comment deadline

Deadline: Fri, Aug 30

Comments on Commerce’s Aug 19 workshop are due by Friday, August 30. A comment form will be provided below after the workshop.

Workshop #3 

1-4 pm, Mon, Sept 9

Commerce is hosting its third and final workshop on Mon, Sept 9, to inform its low-income energy assistance 2025 legislative report. The workshop will review the report’s key findings and include a discussion of additional mechanisms of assistance and ways to prioritize assistance to low-income households.

Workshop #3 comment deadline

Deadline: Fri, Sept 20

Comments on Commerce’s Sept 9 workshop are due by Friday, Sept 20. A comment form will be provided below after the workshop.

Past events

Request for data advisory group members

Deadline: Friday, July 19

Commerce seeks utility staff and climate and low-income advocate to participate in a data advisory group to advise the agency as it reviews utility submitted data and assessments under RCW 19.405.120 (Sec. 120).This is a volunteer opportunity.

Commerce has constituted an advisory group for Sec. 120 since the law was enacted in 2019. The advisory group has been helpful in reviewing utility data and assessments that are then reviewed by the public through workshops and comment periods to provide interested parties an opportunity to review and provide input on the analysis.

Please review the draft advisory group charter below if you are interested.

Low-income energy assistance 2025 report kickoff meeting

Date: 1 – 4 pm, Thu, July 18

Commerce hosted its first workshop to inform its low-income energy assistance 2025 legislative report. The workshop reviewed Sec. 120 and evaluate the effectiveness of additional mechanisms of assistance and ways to prioritize assistance to low-income households.

Commerce is particularly interested in hearing from interested parties about additional mechanisms that could be implemented under a utility-by-utility approach to low-income bill assistance, and evaluating the merits of these additional mechanisms.

Sec. 120 Reporting Template

Due: April 1, 2024

Commerce has published its final Sec. 120 reporting template for 2022 and 2023 program years. The report must be completed in its entirety by April 1, 2024. Consistent with past process, the reporting template was developed with input from an advisory group of utility program staff and low-income advocates. Commerce held a workshop with small utilities and a public workshop and comment period on the reporting template.

 A policy memo with a comment summary, reporting template guidance, and the reporting template are available at the link below: 

2024 Statewide Program Design Study

The Washington 2023 Operating Budget requires Commerce submit a report to the Legislature with recommendations on a design for a statewide energy assistance program to address the energy burden and provide access to energy assistance for low-income households. The agency must consider the following, when making recommendations: 

  • Data collection on energy burden and assistance need
  • Universal intake coordination and data sharing across statewide programs for low-income households
  • Program eligibility, enrollment, and administration
  • Outreach and community engagement
  • Multicultural services
  • Funding 
  • Reporting

Commerce will be convening regular public workshops and comment deadlines into May of 2024. Meeting information and materials will be updated on this webpage. 

Past events

Final workshop comment deadline

Fri, June 14

Commerce will be seeking input on its statewide monthly energy bill assistance program design study. A comment upload form is available below. 

Final workshop

Thu, May 30

Commerce hosted its final workshop on its statewide monthly energy bill assistance program design study. Meeting materials are posted below.

Comment Deadline

Workshop #8

Thu, May 2

Commerce hosted a workshop on its ongoing study of a statewide monthly energy bill assistance program design. A recording of the workshop and meeting materials are posted below. 

Workshop #7 Comment Deadline
Fri, April 12

Commerce will be seeking input on its statewide monthly energy bill assistance program. Comment period questions and comment upload information is available at the link below:

Workshop #7

Thu, March 28

Commerce will hosted a workshop on its statewide monthly energy bill assistance program design study. The workshop focused on a straw proposal for program interactions with utilities. 

Meeting materials

Draft report outline comment deadline

Fri, Feb 9, 2024

Commerce is seeking input on the draft report outline for its statewide monthly energy bill assistance program by Friday, Feb. 9. The draft report outline and the comment upload form are available below.

Social Service Providers for Low-Income Household Workshop Series Summary and Draft Report Outline Workshop

Fri, Jan 26
 
Commerce convened a workshop to review progress on its study of a monthly residential energy bill assistance program and present a draft report outline for public input. A public comment period on the draft report outline will followed the workshop.
Meeting materials

2023 workshops and comments

Climate Commitment Act Logo

The Statewide Energy Assistance Program Design Study is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

CETA Links

Laws and Regulations

Contact

Austin Scharff
Senior Energy Policy Specialist
Email: CETA@Commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-764-9632

Subscribe

To sign up for updates from the State Energy Office or access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below.

Additional Resources