[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6099974,"mediaKeyId","2814958-f33bd06cbffbe7f36773fc9165fab946","parentId",2814958,"title","Brian Rybarik, UTC nominee, tells Senate committee he will prioritize collaboration, transparency and consumer protections","audioSeconds",854,"startMs",51000,"endMs",905000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2814958-f33bd06cbffbe7f36773fc9165fab946&start=51&end=905","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2814958-f33bd06cbffbe7f36773fc9165fab946/thumbnail_51000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099974/Washington/Brian-Rybarik-UTC-nominee-tells-Senate-committee-he-will-prioritize-collaboration-transparency-and-consumer-protections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099974-286497dc27e88758c0772415e2858ac9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136199&Signature=T3k1HB8Ka05dqSedKQP~ifLvskkPwGysUlMmhXXXxEdxn5JBDZew4nPbK~O9HUG4RrB9xYxJP6n5-C~KPyReZyEXAoYojM5Agc6e~rsk1EuoaVH8nx9PKtnu~n-UMG0lhIt~boRt3RHijGsxixPVqDpfKHGTxr1NXP3JH4L1NlPxUBz~RSxXzrPSHfMOrwKesfiv77n2lKHTWSH33YqvMdRNtZYz-HVUD0GelyIUqU3CFgDwPvu6mTnhdMAhjNuaax83RgGsLdHsFYQfLTr~RzQDAApALX8bKbzLYrdhaBX5zb9~nf-caNyKZ2eTYbZ2u0-PMPvPHlKzYZHYFbE1EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington Legislature","date","2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","article","Brian Rybarik, the governor’s nominee for chair of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, appeared before the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee to answer questions about his priorities and experience.

Rybarik said he would bring experience from private practice, utility in-house counsel roles, Microsoft and a prior role at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to the UTC, and emphasized a focus on “safe, reliable utility services at fair prices.” He told the committee: “Finding that balance is always a challenge, but I think it's particularly challenging right now as we work to implement new policies that this legislature has passed.”

The hearing focused on the scope of UTC responsibilities and immediate challenges facing the agency. Rybarik emphasized collaboration with commissioners and staff and said he wants the commission to go beyond mere compliance with existing transparency rules. “We operate under the open meetings and open records laws of this state, but I think the moment calls for even greater transparency than just compliance with those laws,” he said.

Senators asked about several subject areas. Senator Lias, citing transportation safety and the commission’s role over common carriers and Puget Sound pilots, asked how Rybarik would approach rail and other transportation safety responsibilities. Rybarik replied he would “spend a lot of time listening and learning” and work with UTC staff and industry to understand those areas.

Senator Behnke pressed Rybarik on grid demand and the recent growth in data centers. Rybarik noted his Microsoft experience and said the state needs innovation and broader planning to balance supply, demand and prices. “We need to figure out ways to find that innovation, so that we lead to the lowest cost or fair prices and a safe and reliable [grid],” he said.

On human impacts, Senator Ramos asked Rybarik how his human-rights work at Microsoft would affect his UTC approach. Rybarik said the experience of performing supply-chain due diligence keeps “the human at the other end” of utility decisions front of mind and that due diligence should help ensure that customers who pay utility bills are considered in commission decisions.

Senator Slatter asked about federal impacts and workforce shifts at large federal sites, and about wildfire- and climate-related risks. Rybarik said the UTC must continually assess those impacts and build expertise; on disasters he emphasized the commission’s role of ensuring costs are “reasonably and prudently incurred.” “The key to me is, we need all the tools in our toolbox to be able to make sure that we get to that fair balance,” he said.

Several senators offered lighter, personal questions near the end of the hearing; the committee then moved to executive session. No final confirmation vote was recorded on the public transcript before the meeting recessed.

Reported exchanges in this article occurred during the nominee’s testimony and the committee’s question-and-answer period before the committee moved to executive session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Environment, Energy & Technology - 3/28/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Brian Rybarik, the governor’s nominee for chair of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, appeared before the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee to answer questions about his priorities and experience.","taxTitle","Environment, Energy & Technology, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20502,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099970,"Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee advances bills on clean buildings, clean fuels, climate, securitization and captive insurance",357,1409000,1766000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2814958-f33bd06cbffbe7f36773fc9165fab946&start=1409&end=1766","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2814958-f33bd06cbffbe7f36773fc9165fab946/thumbnail_1409000.jpg","/articles/6099970/Washington/Senate-Environment-Energy-Technology-Committee-advances-bills-on-clean-buildings-clean-fuels-climate-securitization-and-captive-insurance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099970-d8408e151635b762a68525aeafdd237c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136199&Signature=Ui4GEFaDloyyVrnp3uMWfdpF~ZBBjP1xkFdjaRFK~xqe1ODG9bCXK5SNHKfl0bgYLjRJ2rpbK65bg2G0X3gqDmJ58PQ6p8pqT-Uq8laDFpkhtKXMXIlknFJRblYgqjLZhiwf59ckb-0D~aD~ZAtKAKSjyj5DQ9iiW9JLADBMpnFlJzQDV8w6p0uS8se2XbyZ1s~SSGy0VC3FT5oMRHFSSGheLGfAfcpobccP3yH-MHSd1wfB2k7C4jTSlPpQqOtzvMGpIml1h7w~tHOt8Ei3UlDflfqY2MxQgQEt8uxlcrimRKJzUliFrcRefQfRNP6ZhExq8kJYx~claesl89qoRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on March 19 adopted striking amendments and advanced several bills to the next steps in the legislative process, including measures on clean buildings compliance pathways, changes to the clean fuels program, adjustments to the Climate Commitment Act, authority for utilities to securitize disaster costs, and expanded captive insurance participation.

Staff provided briefings before committee action. Matt Sheppard summarized Substitute House Bill 1543 as authorizing Commerce to adopt additional compliance pathways to meet the state energy performance standard using alternative metrics, expanding exemption criteria (including for K–12 schools and public hospitals under defined conditions) and prohibiting noncompliance penalties from being passed to tenants so long as owners provide tenant access to utility data and spaces. The committee adopted a striking amendment (Striker A) offered by Senator Shoemake and voted to recommend the bill receive a due-pass to the Rules Committee. The amendment clarifies exemptions and reporting-extension authority.

The committee adopted a striking amendment (Striker B) to Second Substitute House Bill 1409, which modifies carbon-intensity requirements under the clean fuels program and clarifies conditions under which Ecology may increase the carbon-intensity standard; the committee then recommended the bill be sent to the Ways and Means Committee.

Second Substitute House Bill 1975, which modifies auction price containment mechanisms and authorizes Ecology to adjust greenhouse-gas reporting deadlines under limited circumstances, received a striking amendment (Striker C) and was recommended to the Ways and Means Committee.

Second Substitute House Bill 1990, authorizing electrical, gas and water utilities to petition the UTC to securitize certain disaster and emergency costs under defined conditions, was amended (Striker D) to narrow bondable expenditures, exclude costs attributable to a utility’s negligence, and require analysis of consistency with the state's greenhouse-gas emissions limits; the bill was moved forward to the Rules Committee.

Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1842, expanding the definition of captive insurance to allow public entities to be captive owners or participants, was recommended to the Rules Committee.

The committee deferred action on Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1522 (electric utility wildfire mitigation plans) and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293 (litter and plastic bag fee/thickness changes) to a future meeting.

Several senators signaled concerns about affordability, feedstock availability for biofuels and securitization language; multiple speakers noted the desire for clearer data and coordination with Ecology on reporting. Where recorded, committee actions were taken by voice vote and are reported here as adopted with the notation “passed subject to signatures” where the transcript so states.

Votes at a glance: Substitute House Bill 1543 — adopted amendment A; due-pass to Rules Committee; passed subject to signatures. Second Substitute House Bill 1409 — adopted amendment B; due-pass to Ways and Means. Second Substitute House Bill 1975 — adopted amendment C; due-pass to Ways and Means. Second Substitute House Bill 1990 — adopted amendment D; due-pass to Rules Committee. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1842 — due-pass to Rules Committee. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1522 — action delayed. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293 — action delayed.

The committee broke for caucus and returned to vote on the listed measures; recorded votes in the public transcript were voice votes with no roll-call tallies included.","The committee adopted striking amendments and gave due-pass recommendations for several bills affecting energy performance standards, the clean fuels program, the Climate Commitment Act, utility securitization of disaster costs and captive insurance; two bills were delayed for further consideration.","actionData","errors"]

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Brian Rybarik, UTC nominee, tells Senate committee he will prioritize collaboration, transparency and consumer protections

Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee advances bills on clean buildings, clean fuels, climate, securitization and captive insurance