HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5856

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to the acquisition and disposition of real property by the Washington state patrol and the department of licensing.

Brief Description:  Authorizing certain real property transactions.

Sponsors:  Senators Vognild, Nelson and Skratek.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, March 31, 1993, DPA.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Mielke, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brough; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Finkbeiner; Forner; Fuhrman; Hansen; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; R. Meyers; Miller; H. Myers; Orr; Patterson; Quall; Sheldon; Shin; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Jennifer Joly (786-7305).

Background:  The 18th Amendment of the Washington State Constitution provides that revenues deposited in the motor vehicle fund may only be used for support of state, city and county highway maintenance and construction; highway related activities of the Washington State Patrol (WSP); the state ferry system; and other highway purposes.

The State Patrol highway account of the motor vehicle fund is used exclusively to fund highway activities of the WSP.  Currently, there is no law providing that revenues derived from the sale of real property under the jurisdiction of the WSP be deposited in the State Patrol highway account.

Accounts in the transportation fund are to be used for general transportation purposes and are not restricted to "highway purposes" per the 18th Amendment.

The highway safety account of the transportation fund is used to carry out the laws relating to driver licensing, driver improvement, driver financial responsibility, and to cover the cost of furnishing and maintaining abstracts of driving records.

To date, neither the WSP nor the Department of Licensing (DOL) have bought or sold any real property under their respective jurisdictions.  Currently, DOL leases all of its driver licensing offices.

The director of the Department of General Administration, on behalf of the WSP and DOL, is authorized to purchase, lease, rent or otherwise acquire all necessary real estate.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Whenever real property owned by the state of Washington and under the jurisdiction of the WSP is no longer required, it may be sold at fair market value.

All proceeds received from the sale of real property under the jurisdiction of the WSP are deposited in the State Patrol highway account of the motor vehicle fund.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  DOL's authority to sell or acquire real property on behalf of the state is eliminated.

WSP's authority to acquire real property on behalf of the state is eliminated.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  Revenues generated by the sale of real property under the jurisdiction of the WSP should be deposited in the State Patrol highway account for WSP use.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Tim Erickson, Washington State Patrol; and Ken Mark, Department of Licensing.