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Rep. Hans Dunshee, serving the 44th District Serving a portion of southwest Snohomish County. |
House passes green-collar jobs bill
February 21, 2008
OLYMPIA – The last bill passed by the House of Representatives before the cutoff deadline is aimed at creating new jobs in green technology while also monitoring the amount of green-house gas emitted in Washington state.
“Washington state is already the world leader in software and jet planes,” said the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish). “This bill is about making our state a world leader in green-collar jobs.”
Dunshee worked with Gov. Christine Gregoire to write the Green Jobs Act (House Bill 2815), which the governor made one of her requested bills before the Legislature started work this January.
“Before you tackle a problem, you have to know how big it is,” Dunshee said. “So this bill measures greenhouse gases, so we know where the problems are and how to solve them.”
The bill targets the creation of 25,000 green-collar jobs by 2020.
“The global market for green technology is growing every day,” Dunshee said. “This bill is about getting in early and fostering innovation so the Microsofts and Boeings of tomorrow can get started not in Texas or Tokyo, but in garages here in Everett or Seattle or Spokane.”