HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1568

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to public transportation benefit area service areas.

Brief Description:  Permitting public transportation benefit areas greater flexibility in areas served.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Haugen, Wilson, R. Johnson and R. Fisher.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 19, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1568 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 23 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; R. Meyers, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; G. Fisher; Forner; Haugen; Horn; P. Johnson; R. Johnson; Kremen; Mitchell; Nelson; Orr; Prentice; Prince; Schmidt; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Gene Baxstrom (786-7303).

Background:  Public Transportation Benefit Areas (PTBAs) are special purpose districts created to deliver public transportation services.  The areas usually include both incorporated and unincorporated areas around an urbanized locale. 

The governing authority for PTBAs include city and county legislative authority members representing areas included within the PTBA service area.  Currently, 16 PTBAs are authorized to provide public transportation services within the State.

A PTBA may include more than one county; however, there may not be more than one PTBA within a county.  Expansion of PTBAs may be initiated by a PTBA authority, by request of a city, or by petition of voters within an area.  Voter approval is required for annexation and before taxes may be imposed.

Certain areas within some counties have closer geographic, economic, and cultural ties with communities within another county than they do with communities within their home county.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The prohibition on more than one Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) per county is modified to permit an area to annex to a PTBA in another county.

If an area within another county is to be added to a PTBA, the county legislative authority governing that area must approve; or if the area is incorporated, approval of the city legislative authority is required.

The make-up of the PTBA legislative authority must be reviewed if an area from another county is added to a PTBA.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Language which required a benefit area to approve deannexation of an area that proposes to annex to another area is deleted.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Areas would be permitted to annex to a PTBA which may be located in another county.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Robert Larson, City of Stanwood; Dick Goldsmith, Washington State Transit Association; and Dan Snow, Island Transit.