HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      SB 5816

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                              Local Government

Title:  An act relating to counties.

Brief Description:  Allowing the county to award to multiple bidders for the procurement of road maintenance materials.

Sponsor(s):  Senator McCaslin.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, April 5, 1991, DPA.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Minority Member; Mitchell, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bray; Edmondson; Franklin; Horn; Nealey; Nelson; Rayburn; Roland; Wood; Wynne; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  There is no express statutory authority that allows a county to award a contract to multiple bidders when the cost of hauling is taken into consideration in bids for the supply of road maintenance materials.

A county is not authorized to credit the value of a right-of-way donated by a property owner for a road improvement district, against the assessment imposed on that property owner for the road improvement district.  The property owner who donated the property helps to finance the purchase of rights-of-way from other property owners who did not donate property if no credit is allowed.

First class cities, county rail districts, and port districts are eligible to receive grants for rail lines.  A county would have to create a rail district in order to receive these grants because counties are not eligible for this assistance.

A planning agency must make a report on the vacation of a county road.  The county legislative authority already is required to report upon the vacation of a county road and hold a hearing on the report.

Summary of Amended Bill:  When a county uses haul distance as a factor in bid specifications for the procurement of road maintenance materials, it may award the contract to multiple bidders to achieve the lowest cost for the county.  A county may re-advertise for additional bidders if it is in the public interest.

A county may credit the value of a right-of-way donated by a property owner for a road improvement district against the assessment imposed on that property owner for the road improvement district.

Counties are eligible to receive state grants for rail lines.

Planning agencies are no longer required to make a report on the vacation of a county road.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Sections are added to allow counties to credit donations of property for rights-of-way on assessments, to make counties eligible to receive grants for rail lines, and to delete the requirement for planning agencies to report on the vacation of a county road.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This could produce cost savings to a county because different sections of a road may be closer to different contractors.  Materials will cost less if they don't have to be transported as far.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  (Pro):  Ron Main, King County; and Chuck Williams, Clark County.