HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6322

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                      February 28, 1996

Title:  An act relating to recreational vehicle sanitary disposal facilities.

Brief Description:  Adjusting fees used for recreational vehicle sanitary facilities.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senator Owen).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/22/96 [DPA].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House - Amended:  2/28/96, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Skinner, Vice Chairman; R. Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Hatfield, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Blanton; Brown; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Chopp; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; McMahan; Ogden; Quall; Robertson; Romero; D. Schmidt; Scott; Sterk and Tokuda.

Staff:  Jennifer Joly (786-7305).

Background:  In 1980 the Legislature created the recreational vehicle (RV) account in the motor vehicle fund.  The account is funded by an annual $1 licensing fee for each licensed camper, travel trailer and motor home.  The Department of Transportation (DOT) is directed to use moneys deposited in the account for the construction and maintenance of recreational vehicle sanitary disposal systems in safety rest areas.

A citizens' advisory committee recommends how DOT should expend funds from the RV account.  Since the fund was created, RV dump stations have been installed in 17 of the 39 safety rest areas.  These facilities are very popular and are often used when other public and private dump stations are closed.

Over the past few years, revenues generated by the RV licensing fee have been insufficient to cover the expenditures associated with the RV sanitary disposal systems.  The primary reasons for the insufficient revenues are (1) rising sewage costs; (2) heavier use of the facilities than was anticipated; and (3) the rate of inflation having outpaced the increase in the number of licensed recreational vehicles.

Although there is currently a positive balance in the RV account, this has been achieved through deferral and cancellation of sanitary system construction.  Furthermore, the true cost of maintaining and operating these facilities has not been reflected in the annual maintenance charges to the RV account.  DOT plans to change this practice so that authorized costs are charged to the account.

Summary of Bill:  The licensing fee for funding the RV account is raised from $1 to $3.  The fee increase is effective with motor vehicle fees due or to become due September 1, 1996.

In the future the DOT is authorized to increase the RV account fee by a percentage that exceeds the fiscal growth factor.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 11, 1996.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except section 1, which takes effect with motor vehicle fees due or to become due September 1, 1996.

Testimony For:  There have been no fee increases since the RV account was created in 1980.  The citizens' advisory committee which advises DOT on expenditures for RV account moneys has been working to raise the fee for a year.  They would like to prevent closures of existing facilities and to see new RV dump stations open every two to four years.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Chuck Winsor, Washington State Good Sams; Judy Lorenzo, Department of Transportation; and Patti Miller-Crowley, Department of Transportation.