FINAL BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 6061

                         PARTIAL VETO

                          C 457 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

 

Brief Description:  Funding transportation.

 

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Prince, Haugen and Wood; by request of Governor Locke).

 

Senate Committee on Transportation

 

Background:  The transportation budget provides appropriations to the major transportation agencies C the Department of Transportation, the Washington State Patrol, the Department of Licensing, the Transportation Improvement Board, and the County Road Administration Board.  It also provides appropriations to many smaller transportation agencies and appropriates transportation funds and accounts to general government agencies.

 

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

 

The motor vehicle fund is the primary funding source of transportation programs, providing for 43 percent, or $1.3 billion, of transportation appropriations in the 1997-99 transportation budget.

 

The 1995-97 transportation budget totaled $3.3 billion.

 

Summary:  Two distinct sets of appropriations are provided:  (1) current revenues to transportation agencies  for the 1997-99 biennium (parts 1 through 5); and (2) supplemental appropriations to transportation agencies for the 1995-97 biennium (part 6).  The 1997-99 transportation budget total is $3.068 billion for the biennium.

 

1997-99 Current Law Appropriation (parts 1-5)

 

Department of Transportation

 

$$100 million is provided for highway improvement projects addressing freight mobility and economic development.  A priority is placed on partnering projects.

 

$Funding for critical safety improvement projects is included.

 

$The highway preservation program is fully funded, and funding is provided where needed for aging department facilities.  Funding for preservation is $566 million in state and federal funds.

 

$Essential funding is provided for highway maintenance and traffic operations.  Funding for maintenance is $242 million in state and federal funds.

 

$Funding is provided for the acquisition of the second passenger-only vessel and completion of the second and third Jumbo Mark II vessels.

 

$Funding is provided for additional weekend service on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry route and for continuation of Anacortes-Sidney, B.C. ferry service.

 

$$42.7 million is provided for intercity passenger rail to complete acquisition of the two Talgo trainsets, add one additional round trip between Seattle and Portland, and begin design and preliminary engineering on King Street Station.

 

$The loss of federal freight rail assistance funds is replaced with the addition of $750,000 from the high capacity transportation account.

 

$The Rural Mobility Program is funded at $2.5 million.

 

$$1 million is provided for the Agency Coordination Council on Transportation to better integrate special needs services and transit services.

 

$Funding is provided for continuation of Freight Mobility Advisory Committee activities, including a study of freight mobility issues in eastern and southeastern Washington.

 

Washington State Patrol

 

$66 new troopers are added during the biennium to improve the availability and response level for motorist assistance and traffic enforcement.  This increases the number of troopers from 735 to 801.

 

$The weigh scale at the SeaTac weigh station is upgraded.  The SeaTac scale is moved to the Othello weigh station.

 

$The Microwave Migration Phase 2 (existing sites) and the Yakima District 3 Headquarters office started in the 1995-97 biennium are completed.  Funding is provided for main­tenance of existing facilities.  No new capital projects are funded.

 

$Funding is provided for the year 2000 data processing conversion and mobile communications network enhancements.

 

$Funding is provided for an equalization salary adjustment of 3 percent on July 1, 1997 and 6 percent on July 1, 1998 for commissioned officers, commercial vehicle enforcement officers, and communication officers.  This increase brings the trooper pay levels up to the 50th percentile of other Washington State law enforcement compensation plans.  This is in addition to the pay increase in the omnibus budget.  Total increases may not exceed 12 percent.

 

$Funding is provided at the current level for all other Washington State Patrol activities.

 

Department of Licensing 

 

$Funding is provided to cover increased costs of doing business.  Examples include:  increases in the price of film, increased costs for plates and tabs, costs of implementing 1996 drivers under the influence of alcohol legislation, mail and postage increases, Department of General Administration motorpool cost increases, etc.

 

$Funding is provided for the operation of Licensing Application Migration Project (LAMP).  $3.3 million is provided for the following information systems activities:

 

(a)identify business objectives and needs relating to technology improvements and integration of the drivers licensing and vehicle title and registration systems and report to the 1998 Legislature;

 

(b)converting the drivers= licensing software applications to achieve year 2000 compliance;

 

(c)convert the drivers= field network from a uniscope to a frame-relay network;

 

(d)develop an interface between the unisys system and the CRASH system; and

 

(e)operate and maintain the Highways-Licensing Building network and the drivers field network.

 

$Funding is provided to complete and occupy three capital facilities projects in Vancouver, Union Gap and Lacey initiated in the 1995-97 biennium.  Two previously authorized projects, Wenatchee and West Spokane, are not funded.  No new capital projects are started.

 

  Other Agencies

 

$Legislative Transportation Committee:  Funding is provided for TIB/CRAB/TRANSAID consolidation; MVET collection evaluation; and FMAC study in eastern and southeastern Washington.

 

$Traffic Safety Commission, Board of Pilotage Commissioners, Utilities and Transportation Commission, Marine Employees Commission, Transportation Commission, Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, Office of Financial Management, Department of Agriculture, State Parks and Recreation, operating and legislative agencies are all funded at current level.

 

$Transportation Improvement Board:  Approximately $221 million is provided for projects.

 

$County Road Administration Board:  Approximately $87 million is provided for projects.

 

$Special Appropriations to the Governor:  $2 million is provided for claims prior to 1990.

 

$State Parks and Recreation--Capital:  Funding is provided for roadway preservation in six Washington State parks.

 

$Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee:  Funding is provided for performance audits of the Department of Transportation, including the state ferry system, Department of Licensing, and the Washington State Patrol.

 

1995-97 Supplemental Appropriations (part 6)

 

The supplemental budget is $32.4 million and provides:

 

1.$25.1 million of federal funding for floods (DOT).

 

2.$4 million additional snow and ice funding (includes $2 million that was placed in snow and ice reserve in 1996 supplemental budget) (DOT).

 

3.$1.1 million of federal funding for railroad crossing projects (DOT).

 

4.$700,000 of federal funding for metropolitan planning organizations (DOT).

 

5.$500,000 of federal funding for King Street Station design work (DOT).

 

6.$500,000 for additional ferry tort claim payments (DOT).

 

7.$250,000 for Washington State=s share of Wahkiakum ferry costs (DOT).

 

8.$250,000 for manual processing of accident reports due to delay in implementing the CRASH project (DOL).

 

Appropriation:  $3.068 billion.

 

Votes on Final Passage:

 

Senate 30 19

House     65 32 (House amended)

Senate        (Senate refused to concur)

House         (House refused to recede)

 

Conference Committee

House     66 32

Senate    36 12

 

Effective:  May 20, 1997

 

Partial Veto Summary:  The Governor vetoed several sections of ESSB 6061.  Section 106 appropriates $1.5 million to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct a performance audit of DOT, WSP and DOL.  Also, a temporary Performance Audit Advisory Committee is created.  The Governor vetoed subsections (3) through (7) to provide maximum flexibility to the advisory committee to manage the audit as effectively as possible within available dollars.

 

Section 214, dealing with provisions relating to improvement of driver's license security, was vetoed to avoid confusion about legislative intent.

 

Section 409, transferring $50 million from General Fund-State into the Transportation Fund in FY 1999, was vetoed.

 

Section 217(1)(a), appropriating $100 million for mobility projects and studies selected by the Transportation Commission, was vetoed.  The Governor also vetoed section 217(7), pro­hibiting DOT from spending state or federal funds on the Washington Coastal Corridor Study, so that the study can continue as planned.

 

Section 226(8), directing deployment of three new Mark II Jumbo Class ferries on specific routes, was vetoed.

 

Sections 507 and 508, directing agencies spending transportation funds to submit their budget requests and strategic plans to the Office of Financial Management and the Legislative Transportation Committee at the same time, were vetoed.