HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1469

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Walk, Betrozoff, Patrick, Cantwell and Meyers; by request of Department of Transportation)

Authorizing the department of transportation to exchange land for improvements.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (27)

      Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Doty, Fisher, Fox, Gallagher, Hankins, Haugen, Heavey, Jacobsen, Jones, Kremen, Meyers, Patrick, Prince, Schmidt, D. Sommers, Sutherland, Todd, J. Williams, K. Wilson, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Louise Bray (786-7322)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 13, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Transportation has recently had several opportunities to obtain lands and/or improvements required for transportation purposes, in exchange for surplus lands owned by the Department.  Current law allows a property exchange only with an abutting landowner, and further restricts exchanges to consideration for other lands owned by such property owner.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation is authorized to exchange surplus lands for property other than that owned by an abutting property owner.  It is also authorized to accept improvements or construction of improvements as payment for surplus lands.

Exchanges must be at fair market value; and when construction of an improvement is part of the transaction, the normal competitive bid process must be utilized.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  Legislative intent language is added.  The Department of Transportation is directed to continue its policy giving abutting landowners priority consideration when the Department is disposing of surplus property in agricultural areas.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Clyde Slemmer, Department of Transportation.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Current law has prevented the Department of Transportation from entering into beneficial transactions involving the exchange of surplus property because the interested party was not an abutting owner.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 94; Excused 4

Excused:    Representatives Allen, Fuhrman, King P, Williams B