Title: An act relating to the agency council on coordinated transportation.

Brief Description: Representing the WUTC on the agency council on coordinated transportation. [Revised for 1st Substitute: Broadening representation on the agency council on coordinated transportation.]

Sponsors: Senators Jacobsen, Swecker, Weinstein and Haugen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/22/05, 3/3/05 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5057 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Swecker, Ranking Minority Member; Benson, Esser, Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Spanel and Weinstein.

Staff: Kelly Simpson (786-7403)

Background: Under current law, the state must implement a Program for Agency Coordinated Transportation in order to, among other things, extend and improve transportation services to people with special transportation needs. Such individuals include those persons, including their personal attendants, who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation.

The Agency Council on Coordinated Transportation (ACCT) is required to perform various duties, in coordination with stakeholders, designed to assure implementation of the Program for Agency Coordinated Transportation. Such duties include: (1) developing guidelines for local planning of coordinated transportation; (2) working with local community forums to designate a local lead organization that must coordinate with transportation service providers; (3) providing a state-level forum for state agencies to resolve coordination issues that may impact transportation coordination and costs; (4) providing technical assistance and support to communities; and (5) recommending legislation to assist coordination of transportation services. The ACCT is composed of eight nonvoting legislators and nine voting members.

Under current law, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) regulates private, nonprofit corporations that provide transportation services solely to persons with special transportation needs. The WUTC is not represented on the ACCT.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The voting membership of the ACCT is expanded to include: (1) a designee of the WUTC; and (2) a representative from the statewide metropolitan planning organizations and regional transportation planning organizations coordinating committee.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Adds a representative of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Regional Transportation Planning Organization Coordinating Committee to the ACCT.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: It is important that private special needs service providers are familiar with what is occurring statewide in the area of special needs transportation services coordination. As the WUTC regulates private special needs transportation service providers, it is important that it be represented on the ACCT.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Judy Giniger, WA State Department of Transportation; Chris Rose, WA Utilities & Transportation Committee