SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6680

As Passed Senate, February 13, 2004

Title: An act relating to freight mobility.

Brief Description: Improving freight mobility.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Highways & Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Horn, Haugen, Esser, Spanel, Swecker, Oke, Prentice and Shin).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Highways & Transportation: 2/3/04, 2/9/04 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/13/04, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6680 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Horn, Chair; Benton, Vice Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Esser, Haugen, Jacobsen, Kastama, Mulliken, Murray, Oke, Poulsen and Spanel.

Staff: Greg Doss (786-7341)

Background: In 1998, the Legislature enacted Chapter 47.06A Freight Mobility, which established the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB). Since that time, FMSIB has identified and made funding commitments to at least 60 projects that meet the criteria necessary to qualify as a freight project. The 2000 Legislature provided in the Washington State Department of Transportation budget funding for 13 FMSIB projects. The state currently has no ongoing revenue source dedicated solely to freight projects.

The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) uses an ongoing, dedicated revenue source of $200 million per biennium to fund local improvement projects. On average, TIB makes a $10 million biennial investment in partnership projects that also meet FMSIB freight criteria.

Summary of Bill: A Freight Investment Program is created under the direction of the Transportation Improvement Board. Partnership projects with a freight benefit are relocated into the new freight program.

TIB uses the following criteria to prioritize projects in the Freight Investment Program: (1) a freight benefit, which establishes first and greatest consideration to FMSIB selected projects. Projects so identified by the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board must receive no less than two-thirds of the total points or weight that may be assigned under this criteria; (2) the creation of economic opportunities; (3) the potential for project delivery, which targets full funding of freight projects; and (4) a potential to attract federal funding.

The freight investment account is created. The account may receive one-time or ongoing distributions from the multimodal or motor vehicle accounts. Excepting FAST corridor funds, the account must be the repository for any new state revenues or federal funds dedicated to the support of freight mobility.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 2004.

Testimony For: The committee must continue to address freight needs. The final bill must find a way to balance freight needs while retaining the integrity of TIB programs. The Freight Board should receive an ongoing revenue source to fund pre-identified projects. Freight investments made from the Transportation Improvement Account should be funded with additional, ongoing revenue. The TIB would not support any other program selecting TIB projects.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Jackie White, Association of Washington Cities; Bob Mack, City of Pasco; Patricia Otley, FMSIB; Steve Gorcester, TIB.