BILL REQ. #:  H-4468.2 

Read first time 01/25/2006.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to reallocating funding appropriated in 2005 for a completed rail project; amending 2005 c 313 s 225 (uncodified); amending 2005 c 313 s 309 (uncodified); making appropriations; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that funding was inadvertently provided for construction of a loop rail line in Lewis county that had already been constructed. The legislature also finds that funding should not be provided to projects that are already complete and paid for when the funding can be provided to other projects or activities to meet current needs.

Sec. 2   2005 c 313 s 225 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION -- PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION -- PROGRAM V
Multimodal Transportation Account -- State
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . (($62,269,000))
       $65,269,000
Multimodal Transportation Account -- Federal
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,603,000
Multimodal Transportation Account -- Private/Local
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $155,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . (($65,027,000))
       $68,027,000

     The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (1) $25,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for a grant program for special needs transportation provided by transit agencies and nonprofit providers of transportation.
     (a) $5,500,000 of the amount provided in this subsection is provided solely for grants to nonprofit providers of special needs transportation. Grants for nonprofit providers shall be based on need, including the availability of other providers of service in the area, efforts to coordinate trips among providers and riders, and the cost effectiveness of trips provided.
     (b) $19,500,000 of the amount provided in this subsection is provided solely for grants to transit agencies to transport persons with special transportation needs. To receive a grant, the transit agency must have a maintenance of effort for special needs transportation that is no less than the previous year's maintenance of effort for special needs transportation. Grants for transit agencies shall be prorated based on the amount expended for demand response service and route deviated service in calendar year 2003 as reported in the "Summary of Public Transportation - 2003" published by the department of transportation. No transit agency may receive more than thirty percent of these distributions. The first $450,000 provided to King county shall be used as follows:
     (i) $320,000 shall be used to provide electric buses, instead of diesel buses, for service on Capital Hill in Seattle, Washington through June 30, 2007;
     (ii) $130,000 shall be used to provide training for blind individuals traveling through Rainier Valley and the greater Seattle area. The training is to include destination training and retraining due to the expected closure of the downtown bus tunnel and training on how to use the Sound Transit light rail system.
     (2) Funds are provided for the rural mobility grant program as follows:
     (a) $7,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for grants for those transit systems serving small cities and rural areas as identified in the Summary of Public Transportation - 2003 published by the department of transportation. Noncompetitive grants must be distributed to the transit systems serving small cities and rural areas in a manner similar to past disparity equalization programs.
     (b) $7,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely to providers of rural mobility service in areas not served or underserved by transit agencies through a competitive grant process.
     (3) $5,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for a vanpool grant program for: (a) Public transit agencies to add vanpools; and (b) incentives for employers to increase employee vanpool use. The grant program for public transit agencies will cover capital costs only; no operating costs for public transit agencies are eligible for funding under this grant program. No additional employees may be hired from the funds provided in this section for the vanpool grant program, and supplanting of transit funds currently funding vanpools is not allowed. Additional criteria for selecting grants must include leveraging funds other than state funds.
     (4) $3,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for the city of Seattle for the Seattle streetcar project on South Lake Union. Should the city receive any state funds for this purpose during the 2003-05 or 2005-07 biennium, the amount provided in this subsection must be reduced accordingly.
     (5) $1,200,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for the implementation of Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 2124. If Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 2124 is not enacted by June 30, 2005, the amount provided in this subsection shall lapse.
     (6) Pursuant to the grant program established in Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 2124, the department shall issue a call for projects and/or service proposals. Applications must be received by the department by November 1, 2005, and November 1, 2006. The department must submit a prioritized list for funding to the transportation committees of the legislature that reflects the department's recommendation, as well as, a list of all project or service proposals received.
     (7) $2,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for new tri-county connection service for Island, Skagit, and Whatcom transit agencies.
     (8) $2,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely to King county as a state match to obtain federal funding for a car sharing program for persons meeting certain income or employment criteria.
     (9) $3,000,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for projects and activities that provide safe routes to schools.

Sec. 3   2005 c 313 s 309 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION -- RAIL -- PROGRAM Y -- CAPITAL
Essential Rail Assistance Account -- State Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000
Multimodal Transportation Account -- State
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . (($67,158,000))
       $64,158,000
Multimodal Transportation Account -- Private/Local
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,287,000
Multimodal Transportation Account -- Federal
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,966,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . (($88,161,000))
       $85,161,000

     The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (1) The multimodal transportation account -- state appropriation includes $33,435,000 in proceeds from the sale of bonds and $830,000 in unexpended bond proceeds authorized by RCW 47.10.867. The transportation commission may authorize the use of current revenues available to the department of transportation in lieu of bond proceeds for any part of the state appropriation.
     (2) If federal block grant funding for freight or passenger rail is received, the department shall consult with the transportation committees of the legislature prior to spending the funds on additional projects.
     (3)(a) (($67,158,000)) $64,158,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation, $11,966,000 of the multimodal transportation account-- federal appropriation, $8,287,000 of the multimodal transportation account--local appropriation, and $250,000 of the essential rail assistance account are provided solely for the projects and activities as listed by fund, project and amount in LEAP Transportation Document ((2005-2)) 2006-2, Rail Capital Program (Y) as developed ((April 23, 2005)) March 9, 2006. However, limited transfers of allocations between projects may occur for those amounts listed subject to the conditions and limitations in section 603 of this act.
     (b) Within the amounts provided in this subsection, $6,500,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for the two commuter rail projects listed in the LEAP Transportation Document 2005-6, Rail Capital Program (Y) as developed April 24, 2005.
     (4) If the department issues a call for projects, applications must be received by the department by November 1, 2005, and November 1, 2006.
     (5) $50,000 of the multimodal transportation account--state appropriation is provided solely for a study of eastern Skagit county freight rail. The study shall examine the feasibility of restoring portions of freight rail line to the towns of Lyman, Hamilton, and Concrete. The study must also identify existing and potential industrial sites available for development and redevelopment, and the freight rail service needs of the identified industrial sites.