SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5837

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed Senate, February 28, 2017

Title: An act relating to expanding high occupancy vehicle lane access to blood-collecting or distributing establishment vehicles.

Brief Description: Addressing high occupancy vehicle lane access for blood-collecting or distributing establishment vehicles.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Saldaña, Hawkins, Hobbs, Hasegawa, Frockt and Kuderer).

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/20/17, 2/23/17 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed Senate: 2/28/17, 49-0.

Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill

Encourages a reexamination of HOV lane access rules, looking specifically at the impacts of allowing vehicles that deliver or collect blood, tissue, or blood components into the lanes.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5837 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators King, Chair; Hobbs, Ranking Minority Member; Liias, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cleveland, Ericksen, Fortunato, Hawkins, O'Ban, Saldaña, Takko, Van De Wege, Walsh and Wilson.

Staff: Erica Bramlet (786-7321)

Background: Current law allows the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and local authorities to reserve portions of any highways under their jurisdiction as limited access facilities, or HOV lanes. WSDOT and local authorities are currently authorized to give access to these limited access facilities to the following users:

public transportation vehicles;
motorcycles;
private motor vehicles carrying a minimum of a specified number of passengers; and
certain private transportation provider vehicles with the capacity to carry eight or more people.

Summary of First Substitute Bill: WSDOT is encouraged to reexamine its rules surrounding access to HOV lanes using a public process, specifically looking at impacts of allowing in vehicles that deliver or collect blood, tissue, or blood components. WSDOT is directed to report on progress of this process to the Legislature by January 1, 2019.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Proposed Substitute: The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: This is a simple, easy bill that is an opportunity to relieve congestion for the critical service the blood banks provide to us. We should be careful about creepage into the HOV lane, so the bill is a two-year study for the committee to consider whether it’s worth continuing. Blood bank vehicles have logos so law enforcement would be able to identify them.

Bloodworks have served the state for a long time in transfusions, cell matching for organ transfusions, providing blood products for cancer treatments, etc. Bloodworks has 24 vehicles which drive 1.4 million miles a year, making over 70,000 deliveries to 90 hospitals. Annually, patients receive over 600,000 units of blood products. When there is traffic, often there are patients with a dire medical need waiting for blood. Access to HOV lanes would help get blood to patients who need the blood urgently. Bloodworks is a non-profit which also serves many cancer patients who use a large amount of blood that needs to be specifically matched.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Rebecca Saldaña, Prime Sponsor; Nancy Osborne, Bloodworks NW.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.