SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   EHB 1928

                             AS OF MARCH 22, 1991

Brief Description:  Defining the authority of port districts to charge fees.

SPONSORS:Representatives G. Fisher, Zellinsky, Brough, Haugen, Ferguson, Hine and Horn.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786‑7754)

Hearing Dates:

BACKGROUND:

Port districts are authorized to provide a wide variety of transportation related facilities, such as airports and maritime facilities, and to impose charges for the use of such facilities.

The Port of Seattle imposes lease fees on automobile rental companies leasing space at the SeaTac Airport that include both a monthly dollar amount and a percentage of the gross receipts of the rental company.

The Port of Seattle imposes access fees on hotel shuttle vans and off-site automobile rental company shuttle vans on a per trip basis.  The Port of Seattle recently began imposing additional fees on off-site automobile rental companies that are based upon a percentage of the gross receipts of the rental companies.

SUMMARY:

The act pertaining to municipal airports is amended to provide that port districts may not impose a charge or fee based upon the gross receipts of a business that derives some of its income from airport-related activity if that business is located on property not owned by the port district.  This prohibition does not apply to charges for access to or periodic use of port district property.

An emergency clause is included.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested