HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2758
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. |
As Reported by House Committee On:
Transportation
Title: An act relating to requiring the use of an ordinance to advise the county governing body of a city's preliminary intent regarding inclusion or exclusion from a public transportation benefit area.
Brief Description: Requiring the use of an ordinance to advise the county governing body of a city's preliminary intent regarding inclusion or exclusion from a public transportation benefit area.
Sponsors: Representatives Fey, Muri, Kilduff, Stambaugh, Farrell, Stokesbary, Rossetti and Bergquist.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Transportation: 2/4/16, 2/8/16 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 22 members: Representatives Clibborn, Chair; Farrell, Vice Chair; Fey, Vice Chair; Moscoso, Vice Chair; Orcutt, Ranking Minority Member; Hargrove, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Harmsworth, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Gregerson, Hayes, Hickel, Kochmar, McBride, Morris, Ortiz-Self, Pike, Riccelli, Rossetti, Sells, Shea, Stambaugh and Tarleton.
Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 1 member: Representative Young.
Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).
Background:
Public Transportation Benefit Area.
A public transportation benefit area (PTBA) is a special-purpose district authorized to provide public transportation service within all or a portion of a county or counties. Generally speaking, "public transportation service" means the transportation of packages, passengers, and their incidental baggage by means other than by chartered bus or sight-seeing bus, together with the terminals and parking facilities necessary for passenger and vehicular access to and from such systems. It also means passenger-only ferry service for those PTBAs eligible to provide passenger-only ferry service. A PTBA may collect fares for service and, with approval of the majority of the voters within the area, impose up to a 0.9 percent sales and use tax within the area. A PTBA in a county with a population of 700,000 or more, that also contains a city with a population of 75,000 or more that operates a transit system, may impose a sales and use tax of up to 0.3 percent with the approval of the voters within the area, in addition to the up to 0.9 percent sales and use tax that all the PTBAs are eligible to impose.
A PTBA is created or its boundaries modified through a conference process attended by elected representatives selected by the legislative body of each city within the boundaries of the PTBA as well as the county legislative authority or authorities. Prior to the convening of the required public hearing regarding the creation of a PTBA or modifications to the boundaries of a PTBA, the county governing body must delineate the boundaries of the proposed PTBA and provide a copy of this delineation to each city within the proposed boundaries. Each city must then advise the county governing body, on a preliminary basis, of its desire to be included or excluded from the PTBA. Upon receiving this information and again prior to the required public hearing, the county governing body must revise the boundaries to reflect the wishes of each city, and this revised delineation must be considered by the conference at the required public hearing on the creation or modification of the PTBA.
Within 60 days of establishment, the county legislative body or bodies and the elected representatives of each city within the PTBA must provide for the selection of a governing body of not more than nine elected officials (or, in the case of a multi-county PTBA, not more than 15 members) selected by and serving at the pleasure of the governments of the cities and counties in the PTBA. Cities within the PTBA that are excluded from direct membership on the authority are permitted to designate a member of the PTBA who is entitled to represent the interests of those cities.
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Summary of Bill:
A city's preliminary intent regarding inclusion or exclusion from a PTBA must be communicated to the county governing body by means of an ordinance.
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Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) This is an issue of citizen participation. There was no citizen participation in the decision of certain cities to leave a PTBA, because the decision was made by a single person.
This bill would require a hearing and a public vote regarding the decision to stay in a PTBA or leave it.
Currently, the process to leave a PTBA, such as Pierce Transit, does not require public involvement. Adding the requirement to pass an ordinance regarding this decision would allows citizens to participate in the process.
Pierce Transit provides over 10 million rides per year.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Fey, prime sponsor; and Sue Drier, Pierce Transit.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.