FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6346

                          C 192 L 98

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing withdrawals from regional transportation authorities.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Johnson and Heavey).

Senate Committee on Transportation

House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget

Background:  Regional transit authorities are authorized under state law to provide high capacity transit services.  The central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (RTA) was created by the action of the King, Pierce and Snohomish county councils.  The authority board developed a high capacity transit system plan and defined the boundaries of the authority.  Boundary requirements are that:   it include the largest population urban growth area of each county; it follow election precinct lines; and if a portion of a city is determined to be within the service area, the entire city must be included within the boundaries of the authority.  A process is set forth to annex areas to the RTA; however, no provision is made for boundary reduction.

This plan and the boundaries were approved by the three county councils.  In November 1996, voters within the boundaries of authority approved a high capacity transit plan and authorized local option taxes to fund the plan.

At the same time that the voters approved the RTA, voters within a portion of unincorporated King County approved incorporation of the city of Covington.  A portion of Covington lies within the boundary of the RTA, and a portion lies without the RTA boundary.

Summary:  A city that lies partially within and partially outside the boundaries of a regional transit authority, and whose vote to approve incorporation occurred simultaneously with a vote to impose local option taxes for the authority, may request to be removed from the authority=s boundaries.  With approval of two-thirds of the authority board, the city is removed.

This provision expires December 31, 1998.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 49 0

House     98 0

Effective:  June 11, 1998