OLYMPIA — The Washington Senate unanimously passed a bill to shield agriculture from cap-and-trade taxes by creating a directory of retailers selling discounted fuel to farmers.

House Bill 1912 sailed through the Senate on a 49-0 vote April 16. It already had passed the House. The House must agree to minor changes made in the Senate before the bill goes to Gov. Bob Ferguson to sign.

The bill directs the Department of Ecology to compile the directory by Oct. 1. The bill will help the Legislature keep its word that cap-and-trade would not raise the cost of fuel used on farms or to transport farm goods, said Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick.

“Today, we have an opportunity to build trust back in government,” he said.

Most farm groups endorsed the bill, but the Washington Farm Bureau argued it won’t ensure farmers aren’t charged cap-and-trade taxes at all filling stations. The Farm Bureau proposed requiring stations to give farmers on-the-spot discounts.

“Washington Farm Bureau empathizes with the farmers and ranchers across the state who will be losing money they can’t afford on a bill that was supposed to help them,” Farm Bureau director of government relations Breanne Elsey said in an email.

HB 1912 also continues a program to partially refund cap-and-trade taxes to farmers and clarifies farmers can seek refunds for cap-and-trade taxes paid on propane.

The bill also extends the exemption on fuel used to transport farm goods to the end of 2029. The exemption was due to expire at the end of 2027.

The Farm Bureau claims Ecology failed to find a way to strip cap-and-trade taxes from all farm fuels. The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case