OLYMPIA — Senate Democrats failed in an effort Monday night to push an amendment saying that climate change is real and humans contribute significantly to climate change.
Sen. Cyrus Habib, a Democrat from Kirkland, had proposed the amendment to a Republican renewable-energy bill.
Lt. Brad Owen ruled Monday that the amendment was not outside the scope of Senate Bill 5735, following a challenge by Republicans on Friday.
But before senators voted on Habib’s amendment, Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen succeeded in amending it to say that human activity “may contribute” to climate change, rather than that it “significantly contributes” to it.
That set off heated debate on the floor with some Democrats arguing for unequivocal language.
The Senate then approved by a 29-20 vote the Ericksen amendment noting that climate change is real and that human activity may contribute to climate change.
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