AN ACT Relating to multimodal transportation
funding; amending RCW 82.44.180 and 81.104.090; adding a new chapter to Title
47 RCW; and declaring an emergency.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.
RCW 82.44.180 and 1991 c 199 s 224 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The transportation fund is created in the
state treasury. Revenues under RCW 82.44.020 (1) and (2), 82.44.110,
82.44.150, and the surcharge under RCW 82.50.510 shall be deposited into the
fund as provided in those sections.
Moneys in the fund may be spent only after
appropriation. Expenditures from the fund may be used only for transportation
purposes.
(2) There is hereby created the central Puget
Sound public transportation account within the transportation fund. Moneys
deposited into the account under RCW 82.44.150(2)(b) shall be ((expended))
appropriated to the department of transportation and allocated by the
multimodal transportation programs and projects selection committee created in
section 4 of this act to public transportation projects within the ((three
county)) region from which the funds are derived, solely for:
(a) Planning;
(b) Development of capital projects;
(c) Development of high capacity
transportation systems as defined in RCW ((81.104.010)) 81.104.015;
(((b))) (d) Development of high
occupancy vehicle lanes and related facilities as defined in RCW 81.100.020;
and
(((c))) (e) Public transportation
system contributions required to fund projects under federal programs and
those approved by the transportation improvement board.
(3) There is hereby created the public
transportation systems account within the transportation fund. Moneys
deposited into the account under RCW 82.44.150(2)(c) shall be ((available to))
appropriated to the department of transportation and allocated by the
multimodal transportation programs and projects selection committee to public
transportation projects submitted by the public transportation systems
from which the funds are derived, solely for:
(a) Planning;
(b) Development of capital projects;
(c) Development of high capacity
transportation systems as defined in RCW ((81.104.010)) 81.104.015;
(((b))) (d) Development of high
occupancy vehicle lanes and related facilities as defined in RCW 81.100.020;
(((c))) (e) Other public
transportation system-related roadway projects on state highways, county roads,
or city streets; and
(((d))) (f) Public transportation
system contributions required to fund projects under federal programs and
those approved by the transportation improvement board.
Sec. 2.
RCW 81.104.090 and 1991 c 318 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
The department of transportation shall be
responsible for distributing amounts appropriated from the high capacity
transportation account ((and)), which shall ((prioritize
funding requests)) be allocated by the multimodal transportation
programs and projects selection committee based on criteria in subsection
(((3))) (2) of this section.
(1) ((The department shall establish an
advisory council of policy and technical experts pursuant to RCW 47.01.091 to
assist in the review of requests for high capacity transportation account
funds. The council shall be comprised of one representative from each
congressional district, a designee of the governor, the executive director or a
designee of the transportation improvement board, the director of the
Washington state transportation center, and the chair or designee of the
legislative transportation committee.
(2)))
State high capacity transportation account funds may provide up to eighty
percent matching assistance for high capacity transportation planning efforts.
(((3))) (2) Authorizations for
state funding for high capacity transportation planning projects shall be
subject to the following criteria:
(a) Conformance with the designated regional
transportation planning organization's regional transportation plan;
(b) Local matching funds;
(c) Demonstration of projected improvement in
regional mobility;
(d) Conformance with planning requirements
prescribed in RCW 81.104.100, and if five hundred thousand dollars or more in
state funding is requested, conformance with the requirements of RCW
81.104.110; and
(e) Establishment, through interlocal
agreements, of a joint regional policy committee as defined in RCW 81.104.030
or 81.104.040.
(((4))) (3) The department of
transportation shall provide general review and monitoring of the system and
project planning process prescribed in RCW 81.104.100.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.
There is significant state interest in assuring that viable multimodal transportation
programs are available throughout the state. The legislature recognizes the
need to create a mechanism to fund multimodal transportation programs and
projects. The legislature further recognizes the complexities associated with
current funding mechanisms and seeks to create a process that would allow for
all transportation programs and projects to compete for limited resources.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.
(1) There is hereby created a multimodal transportation programs and projects
selection committee composed of twenty-one members: (a) One member appointed
by the governor; (b) the assistant secretary responsible for planning from the
department of transportation, the assistant secretary responsible for program
development from the department of transportation, the assistant secretary
responsible for marine transportation from the department of transportation,
and the assistant secretary responsible for local programs from the department
of transportation; (c) one representative from a transit system in an urbanized
area with a population over two hundred thousand and one representative from a
rural or small urban transit system in an area with a population less than two
hundred thousand; (d) one member representing the ports; (e) one member
representing nonmotorized transportation; (f) one mayor or member of a city
legislative authority representing cities with populations over twenty thousand
and currently a member of a metropolitan planning organization board; (g) one
mayor or member of a city legislative authority representing cities and
currently a member of a transit board; (h) one mayor or member of a city
legislative authority representing cities with populations under twenty
thousand; (i) chief city engineer, public works director, or other city
employee with responsibility for public works activity; (j) one city planner;
(k) one county executive or member of a county legislative authority
representing counties with populations over one hundred twenty-five thousand
and currently a member of a metropolitan planning organization board; (l) one
county executive or member of a county legislative authority representing
counties and currently a member of a transit board; (m) one county executive or
member of a county legislative authority representing counties with populations
under one hundred twenty-five thousand; (n) one county public works director,
or county engineer or executive director for the county road administration
board; (o) one county planner; (p) the executive director of the transportation
improvement board; and (q) one member representing special needs
transportation.
(2) All appointments of counties, cities,
transit systems, and ports shall be made by the governor from a recommendation
of an individual for each position submitted from their respective state-wide
associations: The Washington association of counties, the association of
Washington cities, the Washington state transit association, the community
transportation association of the northwest, and the Washington public ports
association. The nonmotorized transportation member shall be appointed by the
committee, using a public selection process. To the extent possible, the
committee shall be broadly diverse in its representation, particularly with
regard to geographic balance.
(3) Initial appointments shall be made no later
than July 1, 1993, except for the nonmotorized representative who shall be
appointed by September 1, 1993. The terms of appointment shall be for four
years except that for initial appointments, the governor shall adjust term
lengths to ensure that members' terms are staggered. In case of a vacancy the
appointment shall be made by the appointing authority. A vacancy shall be
deemed to have occurred on the committee when any member elected to public
office leaves that office or is removed therefrom for any reason or when any
member employed by a political subdivision terminates such employment for
whatever reason.
(4) The committee shall elect a chair from
among its members for a two-year term.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.
(1)(a) The multimodal transportation programs and projects selection committee
is authorized and responsible for the final selection of programs and projects
funded from the central Puget Sound public transportation account; public
transportation systems account; high capacity transportation account; and the
intermodal surface transportation and efficiency act of 1991, surface
transportation program, state-wide competitive.
(b) The committee may establish subcommittees
of the full committee as well as technical advisory committees to carry out the
mandates of this chapter.
(2)(a) Expenses of the committee, including
administrative expenses for managing the program, shall be paid from the
transportation fund.
(b) Members of the committee shall receive no
compensation for their services on the committee, but shall be reimbursed for
travel expenses incurred while attending meetings of the committee or while
engaged on other business of the committee when authorized by the committee in
accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.
(1) The multimodal transportation programs and projects selection committee
shall select programs and projects based on a competitive process consistent
with the mandates governing each account or source of funds. The competition
shall be consistent with the following criteria:
(a) Local, regional, and state transportation
plans;
(b) Local transit development plans; and
(c) Local comprehensive land use plans.
(2) The following criteria shall be considered
by the committee in selecting programs and projects:
(a) Objectives of the growth management act,
the high capacity transportation act, the commute trip reduction act,
transportation demand management programs, federal and state air quality
requirements, and federal Americans with disabilities act and related state
accessibility requirements; and
(b) Energy efficiency issues, freight and goods
movement as related to economic development, regional significance, rural
isolation, the leveraging of other funds including funds administered by this
committee, and safety and security issues.
(3) The committee shall determine the
appropriate level of local match required for each program and project based on
the source of funds.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.
The department of transportation shall be responsible for providing staff
support to the multimodal transportation programs and projects selection
committee which shall be paid from the transportation fund and include, but not
be limited to: (1) Assisting the committee in determining short and long-term
funding needs; (2) assisting the committee in developing a selection process
that adheres to criteria set in statute and other criteria set by the
committee; (3) administering grants and ensuring that contracts are executed in
a timely manner; (4) distribution of funds and status of accounts; (5) staff
recommendations on policy and programs as appropriate; and (6) submitting to
the legislative transportation committee an initial report no later than
October 15, 1993, that includes but is not limited to: A committee membership
roster, schedule of committee activities for the year, an explicit list of
criteria for program and project selection created by the committee, program
and project grants including projected grant duration, and the proposed process
and procedures to be incorporated into the Washington state administrative
code. Every year thereafter an annual report shall be submitted to the
legislative transportation committee no later than January 1 that summarizes
the activities of the committee.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.
The multimodal transportation programs and projects selection committee shall
convene no later than August 1, 1993, and shall review the revenues available
to the accounts under the committee's jurisdiction and adopt rules and
procedures governing the program and project selection process that are
consistent with state and federal requirements. The committee shall adopt
procedures to be incorporated into the Washington administrative code.
Applicants shall submit applications for
programs and projects to the committee for consideration no later than
September 1, 1993.
The committee shall review and select
applications, and award funds, based upon criteria common among fund sources or
unique to each fund source, no later than November 1, 1993.
The committee shall be responsible for
establishing subsequent annual schedules to ensure compliance with the
responsibilities outlined in this chapter and with consideration to other
program and project selection timelines.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9.
Sections 3 through 8 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 47
RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace,
health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and shall take effect immediately.
