BILL REQ. #:  S-1515.1 

Read first time 02/18/11.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to increasing access to state government through accessible parking; adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the public's access to their elected officials and the public's participation in legislative affairs is essential to the health of a representative democracy. The legislature further finds that to ensure that the public maintains such access to the historic state capitol buildings, where legislative and executive affairs take place, there is a state interest in allowing open parking space in the vicinity of the historic capitol campus.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, local authorities are prohibited from enacting any ordinance or resolution that restricts parking on any street within five hundred yards of any of the following state buildings:
     (a) The governor's mansion;
     (b) The legislative building;
     (c) The John L. O'Brien building;
     (d) The Cherberg building;
     (e) The Newhouse building;
     (f) The Pritchard building;
     (g) The temple of justice; and
     (h) The insurance building.
     (2) A local authority may put a time restriction of four hours on parking as described under subsection (1) of this section between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily during the week between Monday morning and Friday evening.