HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2044

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to the membership of the transportation improvement board.

Brief Description:  Expanding membership of the transportation improvement board.

Sponsor(s):  Representative Cooper.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, March 4, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 2044 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; R. Meyers, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Brough; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; G. Fisher; Forner; Haugen; Heavey; Horn; P. Johnson; R. Johnson; Jones; Kremen; Mitchell; Nelson; Orr; Prentice; Prince; Schmidt; Wilson; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Judy Burns (786-7301).

Background:  In 1988 the Legislature created the Transportation Improvement Board.  The board replaced and assumed the duties of the Urban Arterial Board.  The board also manages the Transportation Improvement Account, which was also created in 1988.

The 15-member board is composed of two county engineers or public works directors, the County Road Administration Engineer, three elected county officials, three chief city engineers, three elected city officials, and three Department of Transportation (DOT) assistant secretaries.

The DOT members are specified by position in statute - ex officio.  The county and city members are appointed by the secretary of Transportation from lists of two nominees for each position submitted by the county and city associations respectively.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Membership of the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) is increased by two, making a total of 17.  The additions are:  1) a representative of a public transit system, to be appointed by the secretary of Transportation from a list of two nominees submitted by the Transit Association; and 2) a private sector person representing a transportation organization based in the business community, also appointed by the secretary of Transportation.  A technical change is made to reflect a revised position title within the Department of Transportation.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill eliminates provisions which would have:  1) allowed the non-elected city and county appointees to be planning directors, and 2) made the governor the appointing authority instead of the secretary of Transportation.  With regard to the private sector appointee, the substitute bill adds the requirement that the person represent a business community-based transportation organization.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 1991.

Testimony For:  A major consideration in projects funded by the Transportation Improvement Board is whether they serve transit.  Thus it is appropriate that transit systems be represented on the board.  Likewise, it is appropriate to provide board membership to the private sector since private sector funding plays a major role in many projects.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Dan Rude, Transportation Improvement Board; Chuck Williams, C-Tran; Dick Goldsmith, Washington State Transit Association; and Chris Leman, Transportation Alternatives Forum.