FINAL BILL REPORT
2E2SHB 2080
PARTIAL VETO
C 14 L 95 E2
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Providing transportation funding and appropriations.
Sponsors: House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives K. Schmidt, Hankins, Benton, Elliot, Skinner, Buck, McMahan, Robertson, Johnson, D. Schmidt, Chandler, Mitchell, Koster, Backlund, Cairnes, Horn, Blanton and Stevens).
House Committee on Transportation
Senate Committee on Transportation
Background: The Legislature must make biennial appropriations for each agency's operating budget and capital improvements. The transportation budget provides funding for the agencies and programs supported by transportation revenues.
Summary:
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
!Nearly $60 million is shifted from the Department of Transportation (DOT) operations and administration to capital projects through cost efficiencies and program reductions.
!Over 30 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) projects are funded for a total of $249 million, including $47 million for two delayed HOV projects that will be funded pending a favorable settlement of the gasohol lawsuit or public approval of the repeal of the gasohol exemption.
!Construction will begin on $95 million of urban/rural capacity improvement projects committed to in the 1990 transportation revenue package. These projects would not have been constructed under the Transportation Commission's "no new revenue" proposal.
!$34.5 million is provided for intercity rail passenger facilities and services including $12 million for lease-purchase of two Talgo-type train sets, provided the train sets are assembled in Washington state. The new service from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., including service to Everett, Mt. Vernon and Bellingham is supported, and state-supported service from Seattle to Portland is continued.
!$5 million in Federal Surface Transportation Program enhancement funds is made available to preserve freight rail corridors for future freight rail service and to begin renovation of the King Street Station in Seattle.
!Funding is increased from $1.5 million in 1993-95 to $2.5 million for the Rural Mobility Program to assist those areas of the state having little or no public transportation.
!The acquisition of a new prototype passenger-only ferry for the Washington State Ferry System is funded using revenue from a newly created Passenger Ferry Account.
!$289 million is provided to fund pavement preservation on state highways. This amount represents an increase of $36 million over the amount requested by DOT, but is estimated to be $20 million less than projected needs.
!An additional $6.5 million is appropriated for construction of all-weather roads (for a new total of $20 million) in order to reduce road closures and weight restrictions on critical sections of the state's highways.
!First-year funding is provided for the public-private initiatives program.
!$5 million is made available for infrastructure associated with the new horse racetrack in Western Washington.
!$2.2 million is provided for removal of fish barriers on state highways, an increase of $400,000 over the agency request.
!$2.7 million is appropriated to address congestion at the Blaine border crossing, contingent upon the project being designated a federal demonstration project.
!DOT staff is reduced by over 500 FTEs compared to the 1993-95 authorized level.
!DOT construction projects are funded without the use of any new bonds.
WASHINGTON STATE PATROL AND DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING
!Transportation funds are used to pay for $17 million of state general fund activities assumed in 1993 for the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and the Department of Licensing (DOL). This cost is mitigated by the return of the $3.80 of the $14 driver license fee that has been deposited into the general fund since the early 1970s. This shift will free up $7.8 million of highway moneys that had been diverted to DOL to cover budget shortfalls.
!Funding is added to prevent closure of four Driver Licensing Examination Offices throughout the state.
!Development of the Licensing Application Migration Project (LAMP) is continued by providing $15.2 million for fiscal year 1996 costs.
!A trooper level of 735 in the State Patrol field force during the 1995-97 biennium is established, an increase of 35 over the 1993-95 level.
!Salaries are increased by 9% during the biennium for commissioned, commercial vehicle enforcement, and communications officers to achieve parity with officers in other law enforcement agencies..
!Funding is provided to the WSP for an increased effort to identify and collect revenues associated with vehicle license fraud.
!Collocation of DOL, WSP, DOT facilities is continued to provide "one-stop" transportation services.
OTHER AGENCIES
!A reappropriation of $700,000 and a new appropriation of $1.8 million are provided to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to continue development of a revised regional plan to present to voters in Spring 1996. If no positive vote occurs by May 31, 1996, the RTA is abolished and high capacity transportation taxing authority reverts to transit agencies in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
!$750,000 is appropriated for the development of a regional mobility plan to serve as an alternative to the plan developed by the RTA.
!The Office of Marine Safety (OMS) is merged into the Department of Ecology as of January 1, 1996. OMS administers programs to prevent oil spills in Washington State waters.
!Funding for Traffic Safety Commission DWI task forces is increased from $300,000 to $900,000 and new programs targeted at reducing the incidence of drug -related accidents are funded.
!Funding is provided to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to retain staff at seven gateway visitor information centers.
TOTAL TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
1993-95 Estimated Expenditures: $3.395 billion
1995-97 Appropriations: $3.130 billion
Votes on Final Passage:
House 55 39
House 55 39 (House reconsidered)
Senate 41 7 (Senate amended)
House (House refused to concur)
2nd Special Session
House 60 34
Senate 44 4 (Senate amended)
House 60 34 (House concurred)
Effective: July 1, 1995
January 1, 1996 (Sections 514 to 524)
Contingent effective dates, no later than May 31, 1996 (Sections 539 to 556)
Partial Veto Summary: The following items were vetoed: A statement that 1995 legislation with fiscal impacts is not funded in the transportation budget unless assumed in this act; the creation of a task force on the issues related to the Office of Marine Safety and oil spill prevention; a requirement that transportation funds may only be transferred to the tort claim revolving fund as claims are settled or adjudicated to final conclusion; limitations on the use of road maintenance funds by the State Parks and Recreation Commission; limitations on the Transportation Commission pertaining to number of commissioner work days, approval from the Legislative Transportation Committee (LTC) before conducting studies, and travel outside the state; a proviso forbidding the sale or purchase of aircraft by the State Patrol until the LTC completes a study of the feasibility of consolidating the state's air fleet; $10 million from the high capacity transportation account and the central Puget Sound public transportation account for high occupancy vehicle lanes; a requirement that $5 million in federal transportation enhancement moneys be used exclusively for King Street Station and freight rail corridor preservation; the use of $1.4 million for interjurisdictional transportation evaluations and reviews; $2.5 million provided as the Department of Transportation (WSDOT) share of repairs to the plaza garage; a study of consolidating the financial functions of WSDOT, the Transportation Improvement Board, and the County Road Administration Board; and items pertaining to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) including repeal of the RTA if a funding package is not approved by voters by May 31, 1996, and changes to the RTA statutes.