Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Local Government & Housing Committee

HB 1590

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires that the governing body of a public transportation system owned or operated by specified categories of public entities must include a union member with full voting rights and privileges and who is appointed by the labor organization representing the majority of the public transportation employees within the system.
Requires the governing body of a Public Transportation Benefit Area operating in a single county be increased from nine to 10 members or, if it serves a multi-county area, the governing body is increased from 15 to 16 members.

Background:

Metropolitan Transit Commission.

State law authorizes two or more cities to create a metropolitan municipal corporation for the purpose of providing essential services to the residents of the metropolitan area encompassed by the participating cities. The creation of a metropolitan municipal corporation requires voter approval, and the functions, authority, and governance of the corporation are subject to specified statutory requirements. The corporation is governed by an appointed body known as the metropolitan municipal council (council).A metropolitan municipal corporation is authorized to provide regional transportation services through the creation of a "metropolitan transit commission" (MTC). A MTC may be granted the authority to construct, own, and operate a regional transportation system in accordance with specified requirements. A MTC is governed by a commission consisting of seven voting members, six of whom are appointed by the council. The six appointed commissioners must meet specified criteria as a prerequisite to holding office. The seventh member is the chair of the council and acts as the ex officio chair of the MTC. Commissioners serve four-year terms and receive compensation as determined by the council. County Transportation Authority.

The legislative body of a county is authorized to create a "county transportation authority" (CTA) to provide transportation services to a county and the cities located therein. A CTA may be granted the authority to construct, own, and operate a county-wide transportation system in accordance with specified requirements. A CTA is managed by a six-member governing body consisting of elected officials from the county and cities within the county and who are appointed in accordance with specified criteria. Public Transportation Benefit Area.A "public transportation benefit area" (PTBA) is a type of municipal corporation created to provide regional transportation service to all or a portion of a county or multiple counties. It is authorized to construct, own, and operate a regional transportation system within its jurisdictional boundaries in accordance with specified statutory requirements. The creation of a PTBA requires the convening of a "public transportation improvement conference" attended by an elected official from each city and county falling within the jurisdiction of the proposed PTBA. The governance of a PTBA is provided by a governing body consisting of not more than nine (or 15 if the PTBA is multi-county) elected officials from the governments of the cities and counties participating in the PTBA.

Summary of Bill:

A public transportation system owned or operated by specified categories of public transportation entities must add to its governing body a new member representing organized labor employed within the system. This new member must have the same voting rights and privileges as the other members of the governing body and shall be appointed by the labor organization representing the majority of the unionized employees within the public transportation system. These requirements are applicable to the governing bodies of the public transportation systems of the following types:

a metropolitan transit commission;

a county transportation authority;

a public transportation benefit area; and

any other type of public transportation system operated by a county.

The governing body of a PTBA operating in a single county is increased from nine to 10 members or, if it serves a multi-county area, the governing body is increased from 15 to 16 members.