BILL REQ. #: H-0377.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Prefiled 12/10/10. Read first time 01/10/11. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to creating a Washington state ferries commission; amending RCW 47.60.005; adding new sections to chapter 47.60 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 47.60.005 and 2008 c 124 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Adaptive management" means a systematic process for
continually improving management policies and practices by learning
from the outcomes of operational programs.
(2) "Capital plan" means the state ferry system plan developed by
the department as described in RCW 47.06.050(2), reviewed by the
commission, and reported to the transportation committees of the
legislature by the commission.
(3) "Capital project" has the same meaning as used in budget
instructions developed by the office of financial management.
(4) "Commission" means the ((transportation)) Washington state
ferries commission created in ((RCW 47.01.051)) section 2 of this act.
(5) "Improvement project" has the same meaning as in the budget
instructions developed by the office of financial management. If the
budget instructions do not define improvement project, then it has the
same meaning as "program project" in the budget instructions. If a
project meets both the improvement project and preservation project
definitions in this section it must be defined as an improvement
project. New vessel acquisitions must be defined as improvement
projects.
(6) "Life-cycle cost model" means that portion of a capital asset
inventory system which, among other things, is used to estimate future
preservation needs.
(7) "Maintenance cost" has the same meaning as used in budget
instructions developed by the office of financial management.
(8) "Preservation project" has the same meaning as used in budget
instructions developed by the office of financial management.
(9) "Route" means all ferry sailings from one location to another,
such as the Seattle to Bainbridge route or the Port Townsend to
Keystone route.
(10) "Sailing" means an individual ferry sailing for a specific
route, such as the 5:00 p.m. sailing from Seattle to Bremerton.
(11) "Travel shed" means one or more ferry routes with distinct
characteristics as determined by the department.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 47.60 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The Washington state ferries commission is created and shall
consist of eleven voting members, one appointed by the ferry advisory
committee or committees of each of the eight counties with a ferry
advisory committee or committees, and three appointed by the governor,
with the consent of the senate.
(2) The president of the senate shall appoint two members of the
senate from counties containing a ferry advisory committee or
committees to serve as nonvoting members of the commission.
(3) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two
members of the house of representatives from counties containing a
ferry advisory committee or committees to serve as nonvoting members of
the commission.
(4) All terms shall be for four years, with the exception of five
initial terms of voting members. The voting members of the commission
shall determine the five members that will serve initial terms of two
years.
(5) No elective state official, state officer, or state employee
shall be a voting member of the commission.
(6) No more than two voting members of the commission shall reside
in the same county.
(7) Members may be removed from office by the governor before the
expiration of their terms for cause. No member shall be appointed for
more than two consecutive terms.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 47.60 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The commission shall meet at times it deems advisable but at
least on a quarterly basis with meetings to be held in different
counties containing a ferry advisory committee or committees. The
commission may adopt its own rules and establish its own procedures.
The commission shall act collectively in harmony with recorded
resolutions or motions adopted by a majority vote of at least six
members. The commission may appoint an executive director, and shall
elect one of its members chair for a term of one year. The chair may
vote on all matters before the commission. The commission may retain
planners, consultants, and other technical personnel to advise it in
the performance of its duties.
(2) The commission shall submit to each regular session of the
legislature held in an odd-numbered year its own budget proposal
necessary for the commission's operations separate from that proposed
for the department.
(3) Each member of the commission shall be compensated in
accordance with RCW 43.03.250 and shall be reimbursed for actual
necessary traveling and other expenses in going to, attending, and
returning from meetings of the commission, and actual and necessary
traveling and other expenses incurred in the discharge of such duties
as may be requested by a majority vote of the commission or by the
secretary of transportation, but the entire commission membership shall
not be compensated for more than one thousand two hundred thirty days
combined. Service on the commission shall not be considered as service
credit for the purposes of any public retirement system.
(4) Each member of the commission shall disclose any actual or
potential conflict of interest, if applicable under the circumstance,
regarding any commission business.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
July 1, 2011.