HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2271

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 House:

February 12, 2020

Title: An act relating to correcting a reference to an omnibus transportation appropriations act within a prior authorization of general obligation bonds for transportation funding.

Brief Description: Correcting a reference to an omnibus transportation appropriations act within a prior authorization of general obligation bonds for transportation funding.

Sponsors: Representatives Duerr and Rude; by request of State Treasurer.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation: 1/15/20, 1/22/20 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/12/20, 95-0.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Modifies the 2005 bond authorization for the finance of Transportation Partnership (TPA) projects to apply to projects identified as TPA projects in any omnibus transportation budget.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 29 members: Representatives Fey, Chair; Wylie, 1st Vice Chair; Slatter, 2nd Vice Chair; Valdez, 2nd Vice Chair; Barkis, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Young, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boehnke, Chambers, Chapman, Dent, Doglio, Duerr, Dufault, Entenman, Eslick, Goehner, Gregerson, Kloba, Lovick, McCaslin, Mead, Orcutt, Ortiz-Self, Paul, Ramos, Shewmake, Van Werven and Volz.

Staff: Amy Skei (786-7109).

Background:

The Transportation Partnership (TPA) funding package was enacted in 2005 and included legislation authorizing general obligation bonds for construction of transportation projects designated as TPA projects in the transportation budget. During codification by the Code Reviser in 2005 a reference to "the omnibus transportation budget" was changed to reference the session law for the 2005-07 Transportation Budget.

Summary of Bill:

The State Finance Committee is authorized to issue $5.3 billion in state general obligation bonds to finance state transportation projects identified as TPA projects in any omnibus transportation budget.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: 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 bond authorization in the Transportation Partnership Account is not currently consistent with other transportation bond authorizations. This bill corrects an error in the TPA bond act resulting from a 2007 amendment. Because of this error, the remaining $1.3 billion in TPA bond authorization may only be spent on projects identified in a very specific way on a 14-year old list. Since the list is very specific and most of the projects are completed, the incorrect reference generally prevents new projects from being funded with TPA bond proceeds. The bill does not add any new authorization or change the characteristics of the existing authorization, but rather conforms it to the other authorizations.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Duerr, prime sponsor; and Brenda Snyder and Jason Richter, Office of the State Treasurer.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.