BILL REQ. #:  Z-0466.1 

Read first time 01/14/09.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to loans to local governments for public works projects; amending RCW 43.155.050, 43.155.068, and 43.155.070; and providing an expiration date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.155.050 and 2008 c 328 s 6002 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The public works assistance account is hereby established in the state treasury. Money may be placed in the public works assistance account from the proceeds of bonds when authorized by the legislature or from any other lawful source. Money in the public works assistance account shall be used to make loans and to give financial guarantees to local governments for public works projects. Moneys in the account may also be appropriated to provide for state match requirements under federal law for projects and activities conducted and financed by the board under the drinking water assistance account. Not more than fifteen percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation to the public works board from this account may be expended or obligated for preconstruction loans, emergency loans, or loans for capital facility planning under this chapter; of this amount, not more than ten percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation may be expended for emergency loans and not more than one percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation may be expended for capital facility planning loans. For the 2007-2009 biennium, moneys in the account may be used for grants for projects identified in section 138, chapter 488, Laws of 2005, for the infrastructure investment system implementation plan identified in section 1022, chapter 328, Laws of 2008; for the interest rate buy-down pilot program identified in section 1004, chapter 328, Laws of 2008; and for the housing assistance, weatherization, and affordable housing program identified in section 1005, chapter 328, Laws of 2008.
     (2) The job development fund is hereby established in the state treasury. Up to fifty million dollars each biennium from the public works assistance account may be transferred into the job development fund. Money in the job development fund may be used solely for job development fund program grants, administrative expenses related to the administration of the job development fund program created in RCW 43.160.230, and for the report prepared by the joint legislative audit and review committee pursuant to RCW 44.28.801(2). Moneys in the job development fund may be spent only after appropriation. The board shall prepare a prioritized list of proposed projects of up to fifty million dollars as part of the department's 2007-09 biennial budget request. The board may provide an additional alternate job development fund project list of up to ten million dollars. ((The legislature may remove projects from the list recommended by the board. The legislature may not change the prioritization of projects recommended for funding by the board, but may add projects from the alternate list in order of priority, as long as the total funding does not exceed fifty million dollars.))

Sec. 2   RCW 43.155.068 and 2001 c 131 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The board may make low-interest or interest-free loans to local governments for preconstruction activities on public works projects before ((the legislature approves)) the construction phase of the project. Preconstruction activities include design, engineering, bid-document preparation, environmental studies, right-of-way acquisition, and other preliminary phases of public works projects as determined by the board. The purpose of the loans authorized in this section is to accelerate the completion of public works projects by allowing preconstruction activities to be performed before the approval of the construction phase of the project ((by the legislature)).
     (2) Projects receiving loans for preconstruction activities under this section must be evaluated using the priority process and factors in RCW 43.155.070(((2))) (4). The receipt of a loan for preconstruction activities does not ensure the receipt of a construction loan for the project under this chapter. Construction loans for projects receiving a loan for preconstruction activities under this section are subject to ((legislative approval under RCW 43.155.070 (4) and (5))) the board's prioritization and selection process under this chapter. The board shall adopt a single application process for local governments seeking both a loan for preconstruction activities under this section and a construction loan for the project.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.155.070 and 2008 c 299 s 25 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) To qualify for loans or pledges under this chapter the board must determine that a local government meets all of the following conditions:
     (a) The city or county must be imposing a tax under chapter 82.46 RCW at a rate of at least one-quarter of one percent;
     (b) The local government must have developed a capital facility plan; and
     (c) The local government must be using all local revenue sources which are reasonably available for funding public works, taking into consideration local employment and economic factors.
     (2) Except where necessary to address a public health need or substantial environmental degradation, a county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040 must have adopted a comprehensive plan, including a capital facilities plan element, and development regulations as required by RCW 36.70A.040. This subsection does not require any county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040 to adopt a comprehensive plan or development regulations before requesting or receiving a loan or loan guarantee under this chapter if such request is made before the expiration of the time periods specified in RCW 36.70A.040. A county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040 which has not adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations within the time periods specified in RCW 36.70A.040 is not prohibited from receiving a loan or loan guarantee under this chapter if the comprehensive plan and development regulations are adopted as required by RCW 36.70A.040 before submitting a request for a loan or loan guarantee.
     (3) In considering awarding loans for public facilities to special districts requesting funding for a proposed facility located in a county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040, the board shall consider whether the county, city, or town planning under RCW 36.70A.040 in whose planning jurisdiction the proposed facility is located has adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations as required by RCW 36.70A.040.
     (4) The board shall develop a priority process for public works projects as provided in this section. The intent of the priority process is to maximize the value of public works projects accomplished with assistance under this chapter. The board shall attempt to assure a geographical balance in assigning priorities to projects. The board shall consider at least the following factors in assigning a priority to a project:
     (a) Whether the local government receiving assistance has experienced severe fiscal distress resulting from natural disaster or emergency public works needs;
     (b) Except as otherwise conditioned by RCW 43.155.110, whether the entity receiving assistance is a Puget Sound partner, as defined in RCW 90.71.010;
     (c) Whether the project is referenced in the action agenda developed by the Puget Sound partnership under RCW 90.71.310;
     (d) Whether the project is critical in nature and would affect the health and safety of a great number of citizens;
     (e) Whether the applicant has developed and adhered to guidelines regarding its permitting process for those applying for development permits consistent with section 1(2), chapter 231, Laws of 2007;
     (f) The cost of the project compared to the size of the local government and amount of loan money available;
     (g) The number of communities served by or funding the project;
     (h) Whether the project is located in an area of high unemployment, compared to the average state unemployment;
     (i) Whether the project is the acquisition, expansion, improvement, or renovation by a local government of a public water system that is in violation of health and safety standards, including the cost of extending existing service to such a system;
     (j) Except as otherwise conditioned by RCW 43.155.120, and effective one calendar year following the development of model evergreen community management plans and ordinances under RCW 35.105.050, whether the entity receiving assistance has been recognized, and what gradation of recognition was received, in the evergreen community recognition program created in RCW 35.105.030;
     (k) The relative benefit of the project to the community, considering the present level of economic activity in the community and the existing local capacity to increase local economic activity in communities that have low economic growth; and
     (l) Other criteria that the board considers advisable.
     (5) Existing debt or financial obligations of local governments shall not be refinanced under this chapter. Each local government applicant shall provide documentation of attempts to secure additional local or other sources of funding for each public works project for which financial assistance is sought under this chapter.
     (6) Before November 1st of each year, the board shall develop and submit to the appropriate fiscal committees of the senate and house of representatives a description of the loans made under ((RCW 43.155.065, 43.155.068, and subsection (9) of this section)) this chapter during the preceding fiscal year ((and a prioritized list of projects which are recommended for funding by the legislature)), including one copy to the staff of each of the committees. The ((list)) description shall include, but not be limited to, a ((description)) summary of each project and ((recommended)) its financing, the terms and conditions of the loan or financial guarantee, the local government jurisdiction and unemployment rate, demonstration of the jurisdiction's critical need for the project, and documentation of local funds being used to finance the public works project. The ((list shall)) description must also include measures of fiscal capacity for each jurisdiction ((recommended for)) to receive financial assistance, compared to authorized limits and state averages, including local government sales taxes; real estate excise taxes; property taxes; and charges for or taxes on sewerage, water, garbage, and other utilities.
     (7) The board shall not sign contracts or otherwise financially obligate funds from the public works assistance account ((before the legislature has appropriated funds for a specific list of public works projects. The legislature may remove projects from the list recommended by the board. The legislature shall not change the order of the priorities recommended for funding by the board)) unless the project has been considered under the priority process provided in this section.
     (8) Subsection (7) of this section does not apply to loans made under RCW 43.155.065, 43.155.068, and subsection (9) of this section.
     (9) Loans made for the purpose of capital facilities plans shall be exempted from subsection (7) of this section.
     (10) To qualify for loans or pledges for solid waste or recycling facilities under this chapter, a city or county must demonstrate that the solid waste or recycling facility is consistent with and necessary to implement the comprehensive solid waste management plan adopted by the city or county under chapter 70.95 RCW.
     (11) After January 1, 2010, any project designed to address the effects of storm water or wastewater on Puget Sound may be funded under this section only if the project is not in conflict with the action agenda developed by the Puget Sound partnership under RCW 90.71.310.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   Section 1 of this act expires June 30, 2011.