SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 2343

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Transportation, February 23, 1996

Title:  An act relating to transportation funding and appropriations.

Brief Description:  Funding transportation.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives K. Schmidt, R. Fisher, D. Schmidt and Thompson; by request of Office of Financial Management).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/21/96, 2/23/96 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Owen, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; Goings, Haugen, Morton, Prentice, Prince, Rasmussen, Schow, Thibaudeau and Wood.

Staff:  Brad Lovaas (786-7307)

Background:  Appropriation authority is required for the expenditure of state funds.  State government operates on the basis of a fiscal biennium that begins on July 1 of each odd-numbered year.  A biennial transportation budget was enacted in the 1995 session to fund transportation agencies and programs from July 1, 1995 to June 30, 1997.

The Governor signed into law the 1995-97 transportation budget totaling just under $3.117 billion of appropriations from over 30 different funds and accounts.

Two-thirds of the moneys appropriated in the transportation budget are for capital programs, and one-third is for operating programs of the transportation agencies.

The motor vehicle fund is the primary funding source of transportation programs, providing for 45 percent, or $1.4 billion, of transportation appropriations in the 1995-97 transportation budget.

The Legislature provided fiscal year 1996 (FY 96)-only funding for several transportation agencies' programs.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Appropriation authority of the transportation agencies is increased by $176.3 million for the remainder of the 1995-97 biennium.  $176.3 million is appropriated to eight state agencies:  the Department of Transportation ($88.4 million), the Transportation Improvement Board ($42.8 million), the County Road Administration Board ($20.0 million), the Department of Licensing ($16.2 million), the State Patrol ($8.3 million), the Legislative Transportation Committee ($250,000), the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program ($205,000), and the Transportation Commission ($87,000).

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The striking amendment changes the appropriation authority of the transportation agencies from an increase of $152.1 million to an increase of $173.1 million for the remainder of the 1995-97 biennium.  The Department of Transportation appropriation is changed from $79.0 million to $86.8 million; the Transportation Improvement Board appropriation is changed from $34.8 million to $42.8 million; the County Road Administration Board appropriation is changed from $15.0 million to $20.0 million; the Department of Licensing appropriation is changed from $14.4 million to $14.7 million; the Legislative Transportation Committee appropriation is changed from $300,000 to $250,000; and the Department of Ecology appropriation of $25,000 is removed.

Appropriation:  $176.3 million.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Additional money will be provided for Washington State Patrol salaries, HOV lane work, and other highway construction projects.

Testimony Against:  Transit funds should not be used for road projects.

Testified:  Caroline Robertson, Bellevue Downtown Assn. (pro SR 520 EIS funding); Charles Hamilton, small business owner (con use of transit funds for road projects); Bart Cima ( pro SR 520 process); Dick Page, WA Transportation Partners (pro SR 520 process); Lynn Benz, City of Medina (pro); Kern Jacobson, Parsons Brinckerhoff (con use of transit funds for road projects).