VETO MESSAGE ON SB 5655

                   May 16, 1995

To the Honorable President and Members,

  The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 9, Senate Bill No. 5655 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to rail freight service;"

     Senate Bill No. 5655 makes several substantive changes in existing statutes improving the laws that govern the role the state will play in the preservation and development of the freight rail system.  This issue is important to a state like Washington which has an increasing economic reliance on rail systems.

     However, section 9 of Senate Bill No. 5655 creates a new advisory group to be known as the Freight Rail Policy Advisory Committee.  Avoiding the unnecessary creation of such committees has been and remains a goal of this administration.  Indeed, according to the law passed just a year ago, it is also legislative policy to curtail the proliferation of these groups.  Under the law, we must ask, "Could the work of the board or commission be done by an ad hoc committee?" Since the work of the Freight Rail Policy Advisory Committee could be done by a group appointed by and operated under existing authorities of the Department of Transportation, there is no reason to unnecessarily mandate this committee in statute.

     Since it is important that the Department of Transportation seek guidance from interested parties as it exercises the authorities granted in this bill, I have sought and have received assurances from the department that they will create and will work with an ad hoc committee of this nature.

     For this reason, I have vetoed section 9 of Senate Bill No. 5655.

     With the exception of section 9, Senate Bill No. 5655 is approved.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Mike Lowry

                   Governor