Olympia – Rep. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, recently introduced House Bill 1176, establishing the Washington Climate Corps Network, an equity centered bill in partnership with the Governor’s Office. The legislation will connect and expand climate-related service opportunities and create a workforce advisory committee tasked with developing recommendations on how to support the expansion of clean energy jobs and transition workers to this growing industry. HB 1176 cleared its first legislative milestone on January 24th when it was voted out of the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee with a vote of 10-4.
“Communities of color and low-income individuals are most impacted by climate change” said. Rep. Slatter. “The goal of this bill is to turn the tide on the climate crisis while also extending service opportunities to diverse communities, young adults, veterans, and our diverse workforce. Transitioning into a clean energy economy requires a comprehensive approach. A large part of that is developing the highly skilled workforce to build and maintain emerging clean technology.”
By connecting and growing climate-related service opportunities, we can ensure the health and livelihoods of current and future Washingtonians. Many overburdened communities have historically faced barriers in taking advantage of large economic transitions. This is a unique opportunity to expose working class families to careers that pay a living wage and offer economic stability and mobility.
The bill was heard in committee on Tuesday, January 17th. It now heads to the House Rules Committee.