OLYMPIA — A Republican lawmaker introduced a bill to shield farmers from cap-and-trade fuel taxes, taking another crack at keeping a promise legislators made when they passed the climate-change law.

House Bill 1912, introduced by Moses Lake Rep. Tom Dent, has 23 co-sponsors, including 11 Democrats, a show of bipartisan support for fixing a problem the Washington Farm Bureau estimated cost farmers tens of millions of dollars in one year alone.

The bill directs the state to refund cap-and-trade taxes charged on fuel used on farms or to transport farm goods. The fuels already are exempt from the tax, but farmers and transporters are unable to claim the exemption on all eligible fuels, especially gasoline and diesel sold at retail stations.

HB 1912 also proposes to permanently exempt agricultural fuels from cap-and-trade taxes. The exemption will end in 2027 under the current law.

The bill was referred Monday to the House Environment and Energy Committee and is scheduled for a hearing Thursday.

“I do appreciate the bipartisan nature of this and appreciate legislators trying to honor their commitment,” Washington Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon said.

Cap-and-trade taxes carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Based on the most recent auction of emission allowances, cap-and-trade is presumably adding 32 cents a gallon to gasoline and 40 cents a gallon to diesel.

Washington was one of three states with the average price of regular gasoline topping $4 a gallon on Monday, according to AAA.

The Legislature passed cap-and-trade in 2021, but didn’t address how to ensure the tax wasn’t passed on to farmers and transporters of farm goods.

As a halfway fix, the Legislature last year set up a $30 million fund to partially rebate cap-and-trade taxes. The Department of Licensing has distributed $3.2 million. Refunds are available through the end of June. HB 1912 does not propose a limit on refunds.

Washington Farm Bureau director of government relations Breanne Elsey said she appreciates Dent taking on the issue, but exempting fuel from the tax at the point of sale would be preferable to requiring farmers to apply for a refund.

Some farmers may not want to fill out the paperwork or get involved in another government program, she said. “I think it’s incumbent on us to float multiple ideas,” she said.