Title: An act relating to the motor pool within the department of general administration.

Brief Description: Managing the motor pool within the department of general administration.

Sponsors: By Representatives Sommers, Alexander, Hunt, Wallace and Chase; by request of Department of General Administration.

Brief History:

Appropriations: 1/24/05, 2/9/05 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/8/05, 98-0.
Senate Amended.
Passed Senate: 4/5/05, 46-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Sommers, Chair; Fromhold, Vice Chair; Alexander, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; McDonald, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bailey, Buri, Clements, Cody, Conway, Darneille, Dunshee, Grant, Haigh, Hinkle, Hunter, Kagi, Kenney, Kessler, Linville, McDermott, McIntire, Miloscia, Pearson, Priest, Schual-Berke, Talcott and Walsh.

Staff: Nona Snell (786-7153).

Background:

The Department of General Administration (GA) provides motor vehicle services to state agencies by purchasing vehicles for the sole use of an agency or through the operation of motor pools in Olympia. Currently the Legislature must appropriate amounts used by GA for its vehicle purchases.

Summary of Bill:

The GA is authorized to purchase motor vehicles without an appropriation by the Legislature. The GA has greater flexibility in dealing with returned agency vehicles.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):

Specifies the minimum milage that cars must have before they are replaced. The department must provide information, in a report to the appropriate legislative committees, about cars disposed of with fewer miles.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Testimony For: The Department of General Administration provides economic, efficient, and effective transportation services to state agencies at approximately 50 percent of the cost of commercially available rental vehicles. The bill would allow GA to align the motor pool with other GA fee-for-service programs and to manage the motor pool more effectively than purchasing vehicles through an appropriation. The repealed statute in the bill was an incentive to get agencies to transfer fleets to GA, but when GA credits an agency for the value of a used car, it leaves the motor pool without sufficient funds to replace the vehicles. This will allow GA to purchase cars from agencies based on an agreed upon price.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Martin Casey, General Administration.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.