Appliance afford. index

AN ACT Relating to a study to assess the feasibility of 1
developing an affordability index for appliances sold into Washington 2
state; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that household 5
appliances that have long lifespans and are reparable can save 6
consumers money associated with replacement costs and can reduce 7
waste associated with discarding broken appliances. Further, 8
appliances that are built to conserve energy and water can reduce 9
consumers' utility bills and help preserve state resources. The 10
legislature also finds that easy access to credible information 11
regarding the expected lifespan, efficiency, and reparability of 12
household appliances will help consumers in Washington state make 13
more informed purchasing decisions. Further, reliable and accessible 14
information that enables consumers to choose more affordable and 15
sustainable models can generate demand for sustainable products which 16
spurs innovation in the sector, resulting in greater savings and 17
reducing waste overall.18
Therefore, the legislature intends to assess the feasibility of 19
developing an affordability index for appliances sold into Washington 20
state that would provide consumers with credible and reliable 21
S-3816.2
SENATE BILL 6124
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Liias, Shewmake, and Conway
Read first time 01/14/26. Referred to Committee on Environment,
Energy & Technology.
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information regarding the expected lifespan, efficiency, and 1
reparability of household appliances to enable Washingtonians to make 2
more informed choices and to drive innovation towards more 3
sustainable appliances. 4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of commerce must carry 5
out a study and submit a summary report to the legislature by January 6
31, 2028, assessing the feasibility of developing an affordability 7
index for appliances sold into Washington state. The study required 8
under this section must, at a minimum, consider what criteria an 9
appliance would be evaluated under in an affordability index, 10
including, but not limited to:11
(a) Ease of maintenance and servicing based on physical design 12
and component accessibility; 13
(b) The availability of repair materials including replacement 14
parts, service manuals, and the need for special tools or proprietary 15
software; 16
(c) Estimated performance life with and without recommended 17
routine maintenance; 18
(d) Estimated annual routine maintenance costs;19
(e) Resistance to wear and tear; 20
(f) Duration of software support and reliance on software 21
support; 22
(g) Use of renewable and recycled materials in appliance 23
construction; 24
(h) End-of-life compostability or recyclability of major 25
components; and 26
(i) Costs to dispose of or recycle the appliance and its 27
associated parts. 28
(2) The study must consider the incorporation of efficiency 29
metrics and tools such as demand-response capability, water 30
consumption, and in-use and standby energy consumption into the 31
affordability index. 32
(3) The study must evaluate the following as it relates to the 33
use of an affordability index: 34
(a) Which appliances would be included in the affordability 35
index; 36
(b) Feasibility of adapting existing appliance sustainability 37
labeling standards for use in Washington; 38
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(c) How the information in the affordability index will be 1
generated, updated, and verified; 2
(d) Who will be responsible for management of the affordability 3
index as well as estimated one-time and ongoing costs associated with 4
maintenance of an affordability index; 5
(e) How information about the affordability index will be 6
communicated to customers; 7
(f) Recommendations on how consumer feedback regarding appliance 8
affordability and sustainability can be collected and how it may 9
inform an affordability index; 10
(g) Recommendations to support manufacturer participation in the 11
affordability index program including consideration of a rebate 12
program. 13
(4) In carrying out the study, the department of commerce or 14
their designee must solicit input from stakeholders with expertise or 15
lived experience in the following: 16
(a) Right to repair as it relates to appliances;17
(b) Solid waste management; 18
(c) Consumer sustainability practices; 19
(d) Appliance manufacturing; 20
(e) Energy efficiency; 21
(f) Consumer protection; 22
(g) Appliance standards, including energy star programs;23
(h) Washington state building code standards; and24
(i) Low-income and historically disadvantaged populations.25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act expires July 1, 2029.26
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