HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1210

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 Reported by House Committee On:

Capital Budget

Title: An act relating to the expansion of the membership of the capital projects advisory review board.

Brief Description: Expanding the membership of the capital projects advisory review board.

Sponsors: Representatives Fey, Upthegrove, Fitzgibbon, Liias, Jinkins and Ryu.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Capital Budget: 1/28/13, 2/25/13, 2/28/13 [DPS].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Changes the membership of the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CAPITAL BUDGET

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Dunshee, Chair; Stanford, Vice Chair; Warnick, Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Fey, Riccelli and Stonier.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Hawkins, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; MacEwen, Scott and Smith.

Staff: Steve Masse (786-7115).

Background:

Capital Projects Advisory Review Board.

In 2005 the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB) was established to monitor and evaluate the use of traditional and alternative public works contracting procedures and evaluate the potential future use of other alternative contracting procedures by general or special purpose governments including state agencies, institutions of higher education, counties, cities, towns, ports, and school districts. The CPARB has authority for developing alternative public works processes, and for approving the use of those processes by those entities. The alternative contracting processes include General Contractor/Construction Manager, Design-Build, and Job Order Contracting.

The CPARB consists of 23 members. Of those, 14 are appointed by the Governor. The remaining four consist of two from the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and two from the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one from each major caucus. Three of the members are selected by public owners, including the Association of Washington Cities, the Washington State Association of Counties, the Washington Public Ports Association, Washington Public Hospital Districts, and the Washington State School Director's Association.

Regional Transit Authorities.In 1992 the Legislature authorized creation of Regional Transit Authorities (RTA) for the purpose of developing and operating high capacity transportation systems. An RTA must consist of two or more contiguous counties, each having a population of 400,000 persons or more. A high capacity transportation system is an urban public transportation system that operates principally on exclusive rights-of-way and provides a substantially higher level of passenger capacity, speed, and service frequency than traditional public transportation systems operating mainly on general purpose roadways.

The RTA authority includes acquiring by purchase, condemnation, gift, grant and to lease, construct, add to, improve, replace, repair, maintain, operate, and regulate the use of high capacity transportation facilities and properties within authority boundaries including surface, underground, or overhead railways, tramways, busways, buses, bus sets, entrained and linked buses, and ferries.

Public Hospital Districts.

Public Hospital Districts are authorized to own and operate hospitals and other health care facilities and to provide hospital services and other health care services. Public Hospital Districts are authorized to construct and make repairs to facilities.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

The membership on the CPARB is changed by adding a representative of the RTA and removing a representative of the Public Hospital Districts.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The Public Hospital Districts representative is removed from membership of the CPARB.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The RTA has many complex projects that benefit from alternative contracting methods. The CPARB and the RTA will both benefit from the RTA's presence on the CPARB.

(Opposed) The CPARB will get larger and be unbalanced, making decisions harder to make. Most of the projects the CPARB reviews are vertical construction and not horizontal construction as the RTA would need review of.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Fey, prime sponsor; and Loren Armstrong, Sound Transit.

(Opposed) Larry Stevens, Mechanical Contractors Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.