AN ACT Relating to the creation of a disadvantaged business enterprise advisory committee within the transportation commission; amending RCW 47.01.071; adding a new section to chapter 47.01 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW to read as follows:

The disadvantaged business enterprise advisory committee is created within the commission with the intent to advise the commission on issues and concerns from the disadvantaged business enterprise community and to increase the level of accountability and transparency regarding disadvantaged business enterprise inclusion spending levels, goal setting, and overall participation on both state-only funded transportation projects and transportation projects that include federal funds. The advisory committee must create a mission, vision, and goals, and a work plan to complete such goals, and issue a report with recommendations to the house of representatives and senate transportation committees by December 31, 2016, and annually thereafter. The department, office of minority and women's business enterprises, department of labor and industries, and other relevant state agencies must be available to assist in supplying necessary data and information to fulfill the advisory committee's purposes. The advisory committee must consist of fifteen members, which must meet at least two times in the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium and four times each fiscal biennium thereafter or as needed. The advisory committee members must be jointly appointed for three-year terms with the opportunity for reappointment by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate who must receive input on nominees from the commission on Hispanic affairs, commission on African-American affairs, commission on Asian Pacific American affairs, and office of Indian affairs, with at least two representatives from each commission or office being appointed. Two disadvantaged business enterprise representatives selected by the minority and women's business enterprises advisory committee, one representative from the department of transportation's office of equal opportunity, and one member from each caucus in the house of representatives and senate must also be appointed to the advisory committee. The advisory committee must elect from its membership a chair and vice chair for a term of two years with the opportunity of reelection.

Sec. 2.  RCW 47.01.071 and 2007 c 516 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The transportation commission shall have the following functions, powers, and duties:

(1) To propose policies to be adopted by the governor and the legislature designed to assure the development and maintenance of a comprehensive and balanced statewide transportation system which will meet the needs of the people of this state for safe and efficient transportation services. Wherever appropriate, the policies shall provide for the use of integrated, intermodal transportation systems. The policies must be aligned with the goals established in RCW 47.04.280. To this end the commission shall:

(a) Develop transportation policies which are based on the policies, goals, and objectives expressed and inherent in existing state laws;

(b) Inventory the adopted policies, goals, and objectives of the local and area-wide governmental bodies of the state and define the role of the state, regional, and local governments in determining transportation policies, in transportation planning, and in implementing the state transportation plan;

(c) Establish a procedure for review and revision of the state transportation policy and for submission of proposed changes to the governor and the legislature; and

(d) Integrate the statewide transportation plan with the needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities, and coordinate federal and state programs directed at assisting local governments to answer such needs;

(2) To provide for the effective coordination of state transportation planning with national transportation policy, state and local land use policies, and local and regional transportation plans and programs;

(3) In conjunction with the provisions under RCW 47.01.075, to provide for public involvement in transportation designed to elicit the public's views both with respect to adequate transportation services and appropriate means of minimizing adverse social, economic, environmental, and energy impact of transportation programs;

(4) By December 2010, to prepare a comprehensive and balanced statewide transportation plan consistent with the state's growth management goals and based on the transportation policy goals provided under RCW 47.04.280 and applicable state and federal laws. The plan must reflect the priorities of government developed by the office of financial management and address regional needs, including multimodal transportation planning. The plan must, at a minimum: (a) Establish a vision for the development of the statewide transportation system; (b) identify significant statewide transportation policy issues; and (c) recommend statewide transportation policies and strategies to the legislature to fulfill the requirements of subsection (1) of this section. The plan must be the product of an ongoing process that involves representatives of significant transportation interests and the general public from across the state. Every four years, the plan shall be reviewed and revised, and submitted to the governor and the house of representatives and senate standing committees on transportation.

The plan shall take into account federal law and regulations relating to the planning, construction, and operation of transportation facilities;

(5) By December 2007, the office of financial management shall submit a baseline report on the progress toward attaining the policy goals under RCW 47.04.280 in the 2005-2007 fiscal biennium. By October 1, 2008, beginning with the development of the 2009-2011 biennial transportation budget, and by October 1st biennially thereafter, the office of financial management shall submit to the legislature and the governor a report on the progress toward the attainment by state transportation agencies of the state transportation policy goals and objectives prescribed by statute, appropriation, and governor directive. The report must, at a minimum, include the degree to which state transportation programs have progressed toward the attainment of the policy goals established under RCW 47.04.280, as measured by the objectives and performance measures established by the office of financial management under RCW 47.04.280;

(6) To propose to the governor and the legislature prior to the convening of each regular session held in an odd-numbered year a recommended budget for the operations of the commission as required by RCW 47.01.061;

(7) To adopt such rules as may be necessary to carry out reasonably and properly those functions expressly vested in the commission by statute;

(8) To contract with the office of financial management or other appropriate state agencies for administrative support, accounting services, computer services, and other support services necessary to carry out its other statutory duties;

(9) To conduct transportation-related studies and policy analysis to the extent directed by the legislature or governor in the biennial transportation budget act, or as otherwise provided in law, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose; ((and))

(10) To administer the disadvantaged business enterprise advisory committee created in section 1 of this act; and

(11) To exercise such other specific powers and duties as may be vested in the transportation commission by this or any other provision of law.

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