Sponsors: By Senators Horn, Haugen, Mulliken, Finkbeiner, Oke, Swecker, Esser, Prentice, Benton and Kohl-Welles.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Bill

(As Amended by House)

• Makes legislators whose districts are within a Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) ex officio nonvoting members of the RTPO.

• When RTPO members take action on a matter that only affects Washington, a majority of Washington members on the RTPO must approve the action.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Simpson, Vice Chair; Ericksen, Ranking Minority Member; Jarrett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Bailey, Campbell, Clibborn, Cooper, Dickerson, Edwards, Hankins, Hudgins, Kristiansen, Lovick, Mielke, Morris, Nixon, Romero, Schindler, Shabro, Sullivan, Wood and Woods.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Flannigan and Hatfield.

There are 14 Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) in Washington. Each RTPO has a policy board that provides direction on the implementation of their six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and their regional transportation plan. An RTPO policy board is required to include members from cities, counties, port districts, transit districts, major employers, and the Department of Transportation.

The six-year TIP proposes regionally significant transportation projects and a financial plan that demonstrates how the program is to be funded. The six-year TIP is updated at least every two years, but can be amended during the interim.

The regional transportation planning process establishes standards for a regional transportation plan, coordination between RTPOs, and, in conjunction with state planning efforts, identifies and plans improvements that are important to moving people and goods on a regional and statewide basis.

State law is silent on whether an RTPO that borders another state may have voting members on its policy board that reside in the adjacent state.

The RTPO board membership is modified. Any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate whose districts are wholly or partly within the boundaries of the RTPO are considered ex officio, nonvoting board members of the regional transportation planning organization. This does not preclude legislators from becoming full-time, voting board members.

A requirement is added that when the members of the RTPO take action on matters that solely affect Washington, the matter must obtain a majority vote of the Washington residents serving as members of the RTPO before the matter may be adopted.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This allows legislators to be involved, or at least be informed about, transportation plans that are being developed at the local level. This helps improve the coordination of what local agencies are doing with transportation planning and what the legislature is planning.

Testified: Senator Horn, prime sponsor; and Ashely Probart, Department of Transportation.