S-1246

AN ACT Relating to the freight mobility strategic investment board; and amending RCW 47.06A.020, 47.06A.030, and 47.06A.040.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 47.06A.020 and 1998 c 175 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The board shall:

(a) Adopt rules and procedures necessary to implement the freight mobility strategic investment program;

(b) Solicit from public entities proposed projects that meet eligibility criteria established in accordance with subsection (4) of this section; and

(c) Review and evaluate project applications based on criteria established under this section, and prioritize and select projects comprising a portfolio to be funded in part with grants from state funds appropriated for the freight mobility strategic investment program. In determining the appropriate level of state funding for a project, the board shall ensure that state funds are allocated to leverage the greatest amount of partnership funding possible. After selecting projects comprising the portfolio, the board shall submit them as part of its budget request to the office of financial management and the legislature. The board shall ensure that projects submitted as part of the portfolio are not more appropriately funded with other federal, state, or local government funding mechanisms or programs. The board shall reject those projects that appear to improve overall general mobility with limited enhancement for freight mobility.

The board shall provide periodic progress reports on its activities to the ((~~governor~~)) office of financial management and the legislative transportation committee.

(2) The board may:

(a) Accept from any state or federal agency, loans or grants for the financing of any transportation project and enter into agreements with any such agency concerning the loans or grants;

(b) Provide technical assistance to project applicants;

(c) Accept any gifts, grants, or loans of funds, property, or financial, or other aid in any form from any other source on any terms and conditions which are not in conflict with this chapter;

(d) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and

(e) Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted or implied under this chapter.

(3) The board shall designate strategic freight corridors within the state. The board shall update the list of designated strategic corridors not less than every two years, and shall establish a method of collecting and verifying data, including information on city and county-owned roadways.

(4) From June 11, 1998, through the biennium ending June 30, 2001, the board shall utilize threshold project eligibility criteria that, at a minimum, includes the following:

(a) The project must be on a strategic freight corridor;

(b) The project must meet one of the following conditions:

(i) It is primarily aimed at reducing identified barriers to freight movement with only incidental benefits to general or personal mobility; or

(ii) It is primarily aimed at increasing capacity for the movement of freight with only incidental benefits to general or personal mobility; or

(iii) It is primarily aimed at mitigating the impact on communities of increasing freight movement, including roadway/railway conflicts; and

(5) From June 11, 1998, through the biennium ending June 30, 2001, the board shall use the multicriteria analysis and scoring framework for evaluating and ranking eligible freight mobility and freight mitigation projects developed by the freight mobility project prioritization committee and contained in the January 16, 1998, report entitled "Project Eligibility, Priority and Selection Process for a Strategic Freight Investment Program." The prioritization process shall measure the degree to which projects address important program objectives and shall generate a project score that reflects a project's priority compared to other projects. The board shall assign scoring points to each criterion that indicate the relative importance of the criterion in the overall determination of project priority. After June 30, 2001, the board may supplement and refine the initial project priority criteria and scoring framework developed by the freight mobility project prioritization committee as expertise and experience is gained in administering the freight mobility program.

(6) It is the intent of the legislature that each freight mobility project contained in the project portfolio submitted by the board utilize the greatest amount of nonstate funding possible. The board shall adopt rules that give preference to projects that contain the greatest levels of financial participation from nonprogram fund sources. The board shall consider twenty percent as the minimum partnership contribution, but shall also ensure that there are provisions allowing exceptions for projects that are located in areas where minimal local funding capacity exists or where the magnitude of the project makes the adopted partnership contribution financially unfeasible.

(7) The board shall develop and recommend policies that address operational improvements that primarily benefit and enhance freight movement, including, but not limited to, policies that reduce congestion in truck lanes at border crossings and weigh stations and provide for access to ports during nonpeak hours.

Sec. 2. RCW 47.06A.030 and 1998 c 175 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The freight mobility strategic investment board is created. The board shall convene by July 1, 1998.

(2) The board is composed of twelve members. The following members are appointed by the governor for terms of four years, except that five members initially are appointed for terms of two years: (a) Two members, one of whom is from a city located within or along a strategic freight corridor, appointed from a list of at least four persons nominated by the association of Washington cities or its successor; (b) two members, one of whom is from a county having a strategic freight corridor within its boundaries, appointed from a list of at least four persons nominated by the Washington state association of counties or its successor; (c) two members, one of whom is from a port district located within or along a strategic freight corridor, appointed from a list of at least four persons nominated by the Washington public ports association or its successor; (d) one member representing the office of financial management; (e) one member appointed as a representative of the trucking industry; (f) one member appointed as a representative of the railroads; (g) the secretary of the department of transportation; (h) one member representing the steamship industry; and (i) one member of the general public. In appointing the general public member, the governor shall endeavor to appoint a member with special expertise in relevant fields such as public finance, freight transportation, or public works construction. The governor shall appoint the general public member as chair of the board. In making appointments to the board, the governor shall ensure that each geographic region of the state is represented.

(3) Members of the board ((~~may not receive compensation. Reimbursement for~~)) shall be reimbursed for reasonable and customary travel ((~~and other~~)) expenses ((~~shall be provided by each respective organization that a member represents on the board~~)) as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

(4) If a vacancy on the board occurs by death, resignation, or otherwise, the governor shall fill the vacant position for the unexpired term. Each vacancy in a position appointed from lists provided by the associations and departments under subsection (2) of this section must be filled from a list of at least four persons nominated by the relevant association or associations.

(5) The appointments made in subsection (2) of this section are not subject to confirmation.

Sec. 3. RCW 47.06A.040 and 1998 c 175 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

The board ((~~shall~~)), at its option, may either appoint an executive director, who shall serve at its pleasure and whose salary shall be set by the board or contract with the department of transportation for an executive director. Staff support to the board ((~~shall initially be provided by~~)) may be by contract with the department of transportation, the transportation improvement board, and the county road administration board or their successor agencies. ((The board shall develop a plan that provides for administration and staffing of the program and present this plan to the office of financial management and the legislative transportation committee by December 31, 1998.))