BILL REQ. #:  S-3686.1 

Read first time 01/17/14.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to county ferries; adding a new section to chapter 36.54 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) County ferries provide a necessary public service to Washington citizens and are an important part of the Washington state transportation system. County ferries connect citizens to their jobs, schools, and communities.
     (b) County ferry districts are funded by local tax dollars, and the districts' governing bodies have a responsibility to their citizens to wisely use these funds to maximize the benefit to their communities and to efficiently manage administrative costs.
     (c) Where county ferry districts and the county legislative authority are the same entity, savings can be found by allowing the county legislative authority to take on the administrative costs associated with the county ferry district.
     (2) The purpose of this chapter is to allow a county in which a ferry district has been established pursuant to RCW 36.54.110 through 36.54.190 where the boundaries are coterminous with the boundaries of the county to assume the rights, powers, functions, and obligations of the county ferry district in order to achieve administrative savings that can be used to provide ferry service to its citizens.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 36.54 RCW to read as follows:
     Where administrative savings may be obtained, counties may assume the responsibilities inherent in the operation of a county ferry district if the county legislative authority is also the governing body of the county ferry district. The assumption of the administrative duties of a county ferry district may be initiated by the adoption of an ordinance or a resolution by the county legislative authority indicating its intention to conduct a hearing concerning the assumption of such duties.