SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 2044

           AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 2, 1991

Brief Description:  Expanding membership of the transportation improvement board.

SPONSORS:House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representative Cooper).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; von Reichbauer, Vice Chairman; Barr, Erwin, Madsen, McMullen, Oke, Snyder, Thorsness, and Vognild. 

Staff:  Judy Burns (786‑7301)

Hearing Dates:April 2, 1991

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:

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.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

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

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

The requirement that the private sector representative on the Transportation Improvement Board be a representative of the business community is inappropriate.  There should be an opportunity for citizen groups to be represented on the board.

TESTIFIED:  Chris Leman, Transportation Alternatives Forum (con)