Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateWashingtonIntroduced
HB 1906: Increasing transparency and consumer protection in water system rates.
Steve Tharinger
HB 1906 status: Introduced — Effective date 6/11/2026 (updated Mar 28, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
70OUT OF 100
Score:70/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 45/100
Constitutionality95%
Bipartisan50%
Public opinion80%
Bill summary
What changes
The legislation introduces new requirements for transparency in water billing and implements consumer protections to limit unfair price hikes.
Who is affected
Residential water consumers and water utility providers operating within the state.
Requirements and enforcement
The source does not specify technical requirements, though it implies a shift toward clearer billing disclosures and rate oversight.
Costs and funding
Not stated, though utilities may incur administrative and systems costs to achieve compliance.
When it takes effect
The bill has an established effective date of 06/11/2026.
Potential benefits
Consumers gain increased protection against sudden rate increases and improved clarity regarding their utility costs.
Risks and tradeoffs
Utilities may shift compliance expenses onto rate-paying customers.
What is still unknown
The specific criteria for what defines an 'unfair' price hike and the exact enforcement procedures are not provided in the source.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Mixed / Neutral
60%
Benefits
- Consumer protection from sudden price hikes
- Increased price predictability for households
- Standardized billing practices across providers
Risks
- Potential compliance costs for water utilities
- Operational burden of updating billing systems
- Risk of cost-passing to consumers for compliance
Society
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Improved readability of consumer utility bills
- Reduced consumer confusion over charges
- Greater household financial predictability
Risks
- Potential for delayed rate adjustment implementation
- Complexity of new billing disclosure requirements
- Reliance on regulatory enforcement for effectiveness
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Enhanced billing transparency for public review
- Standardized disclosure requirements for utilities
- Legislative oversight of utility pricing actions
Risks
- Risk of information gaps in utility reporting
- Limited real-time oversight of utility operations
- Potential for bureaucratic interpretation hurdles
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
LegiScan returned a PDF-only document. PDF extraction is not enabled in this build, so the pipeline used a safer fallback.
Analysis scope
Source provided is a summary abstract; full bill text not reviewed.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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