BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to disabled parking fees; amending RCW 28B.130.020, 46.08.172, and 43.01.240; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that, despite the best effort of Washington's transit agencies, our state's disabled travelers often have few public transportation alternatives other than to travel by their personal vehicle. Therefore, the state declares its intention not to charge a fee for parking for those spaces it reserves for disabled parking.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.130.020 and 1997 c 273 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The governing board of an institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 may impose either a voluntary or a mandatory transportation fee on employees and on students at the institution. The board of the joint center for higher education under chapter 28B.25 RCW may impose either a voluntary or a mandatory transportation fee on faculty and staff working at the Riverpoint higher education park and on students attending classes there. The transportation fee shall be used solely to fund transportation demand management programs that reduce the demand for campus and neighborhood parking, and promote alternatives to single-occupant vehicle driving. If the board charges a mandatory transportation fee to students, it shall charge a mandatory transportation fee to employees. However, in no case shall such fees be charged for parking by persons who qualify for special parking privileges under RCW 46.16.381. The transportation fee for employees may exceed, but shall not be lower than the transportation fee charged to students. The transportation fee for employees may be deducted from the employees' paychecks. The transportation fee for students may be imposed annually, or each academic term. For students attending community colleges and technical colleges, the mandatory transportation fee shall not exceed sixty percent of the maximum rate permitted for services and activities fees at community colleges, unless, through a vote, a majority of students consent to increase the transportation fee. For students attending four-year institutions of higher education or classes at the Riverpoint higher education park, the mandatory transportation fee shall not exceed thirty-five percent of the maximum rate permitted for services and activities fees at the institution where the student is enrolled unless, through a vote, a majority of students consents to increase the transportation fee. The board may make a limited number of exceptions to the fee based on a policy adopted by the board.

(2) The board of the joint center for higher education under chapter 28B.25 RCW shall not impose a transportation fee on any student who is already paying a transportation fee to the institution of higher education in which the student is enrolled.

Sec. 3. RCW 46.08.172 and 1995 c 215 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The director of the department of general administration shall establish equitable and consistent parking rental fees for the capitol campus and may, if requested by agencies, establish equitable and consistent parking rental fees for agencies off the capitol campus, to be charged to employees, visitors, clients, service providers, and others, that reflect the legislature's intent to reduce state subsidization of parking or to meet the commute trip reduction goals established in RCW 70.94.527. All fees shall take into account the market rate of comparable privately owned rental parking, as determined by the director. However, parking rental fees are not to exceed the local market rate of comparable privately owned rental parking. In no case shall such fees be charged for parking by persons who qualify for special parking privileges under RCW 46.16.381.

The director may delegate the responsibility for the collection of parking fees to other agencies of state government when cost-effective.

Sec. 4. RCW 43.01.240 and 1995 c 215 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is hereby established an account in the state treasury to be known as the state agency parking account. All parking income collected from the fees imposed by state agencies on parking spaces at state-owned or leased facilities, including the capitol campus, shall be deposited in the state agency parking account. Only the office of financial management may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for expenditures. No agency may receive an allotment greater than the amount of revenue deposited into the state agency parking account.

(2) An agency may, as an element of the agency's commute trip reduction program to achieve the goals set forth in RCW 70.94.527, impose parking rental fees at state-owned and leased properties. However, in no case shall such fees be charged for parking by persons who qualify for special parking privileges under RCW 46.16.381. These fees will be deposited in the state agency parking account. Each agency shall establish a committee to advise the agency director on parking rental fees, taking into account the market rate of comparable, privately owned rental parking in each region. The agency shall solicit representation of the employee population including, but not limited to, management, administrative staff, production workers, and state employee bargaining units. Funds shall be used by agencies to: (a) Support the agencies' commute trip reduction program under RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.551; (b) support the agencies' parking program; or (c) support the lease or ownership costs for the agencies' parking facilities.

(3) In order to reduce the state's subsidization of employee parking, after July 1997 agencies shall not enter into leases for employee parking in excess of building code requirements, except as authorized by the director of general administration. In situations where there are fewer parking spaces than employees at a worksite, parking must be allocated equitably, with no special preference given to managers.

(4) The director of general administration must report to the house and senate transportation committees no later than December 1, 1997, regarding the implementation of chapter 215, Laws of 1995. The report must include an estimate of the reduction in parking supply and an estimate of the cost savings.