In Our View: Electric-vehicle bill is an important small step The Columbian Share: Whether through mandates or merely goals, efforts to boost the use of electric vehicles in Washington are wise. The state, with an eco-conscious ethos, should be a leader in the global movement away from gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. In the Legislature, House Bill 1204 reflects the thin edge between mandates and goals. The bill originally would have required that starting with the 2030 model year, vehicles must be electric in order to be registered and licensed in the state. According to The Seattle Times, advice from the state attorney general’s office suggested that such a mandate would face legal challenges claiming it overstepped the state’s authority under the federal Clean Air Act — and those challenges would delay implementation.