The bill would create a new county-level excise tax authority by adding a new section to chapter 82.46 RCW. It allows the legislative authority of any county, subject to approval by a majority of voters of the taxing district at a county general election or a county-called special election, to impose an additional excise tax on the purchase, sale, or transfer of a controlling interest in a renewable energy facility. The tax rate is specified as three percent of the selling price, is assessed on the seller, and the proceeds would be treated as general county revenues. The bill treats "renewable energy" as having the same meaning as in RCW 82.96.010. The term "controlling interest" is used in the proposal but is not defined in the provided text. If enacted the act would take effect January 1, 2026; the bill was read for the first time in the House on February 14, 2025, and was referred to the Committee on Finance. The provided text does not include administrative, collection, enforcement, exemption, or reporting procedures; it does not define how selling price is determined, how transactions involving facilities spanning multiple counties are handled, or how partial interest transfers are treated. These implementation details are therefore uncertain from the extracted facts.

If this law is enacted, counties would gain a new option to raise local revenue by putting a measure to voters to impose a 3% excise tax on the sale or transfer of a controlling interest in a renewable energy facility; the tax would be paid by the seller and revenues would flow into general county funds, and it would take effect January 1, 2026 if approved by county voters. Practically, county governments would have a potential new funding source, while sellers of wind, solar, or other statutorily defined renewable energy facilities could face a significant new transaction cost that may change deal pricing, negotiation positions, or whether transactions occur in that county. Key implementation details are missing, so buyers, sellers, and counties will face uncertainty until the law (or later rules) clarifies what counts as a “controlling interest,” which activities qualify as “renewable energy” under RCW 82.96.010, how the selling price is calculated, and how the tax is collected or applied for facilities spanning multiple counties.