SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5837

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.

Brief Description: Expanding high occupancy vehicle lane access to blood-collecting or distributing establishment vehicles. [Revised for 1st Substitute: Addressing high occupancy vehicle lane access for blood-collecting or distributing establishment vehicles.]

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Encourages a reexamination of HOV lane access rules, looking specifically at the impacts of allowing vehicles that deliver or collect blood, tissue, or blood components into the lanes.

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5837 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators King, Chair; Hobbs, Ranking Minority Member; Liias, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cleveland, Ericksen, Fortunato, Hawkins, O'Ban, Saldaña, Takko, Van De Wege, Walsh and Wilson.

Background: Current law allows the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and local authorities to reserve portions of any highways under their jurisdiction as limited access facilities, or HOV lanes. WSDOT and local authorities are currently authorized to give access to these limited access facilities to the following users:

public transportation vehicles;
motorcycles;
private motor vehicles carrying a minimum of a specified number of passengers; and
certain private transportation provider vehicles with the capacity to carry eight or more people.

Summary of Bill (First Substitute): WSDOT is encouraged to reexamine its rules surrounding access to HOV lanes using a public process, specifically looking at impacts of allowing in vehicles that deliver or collect blood, tissue, or blood components. WSDOT is directed to report on progress of this process to the Legislature by January 1, 2019.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (First Substitute): Changes the option for WSDOT to commence a two-year pilot program into a direction for WSDOT to reexamine the HOV lane access rules, involving the public and specifically looking at allowing vehicles that deliver or collect blood, tissue, or blood components. WSDOT is also directed to report progress before this public process is over, instead of after the pilot program would have been underway.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Proposed Substitute: The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: This is a simple, easy bill that is an opportunity to relieve congestion for the critical service the blood banks provide to us. We should be careful about creepage into the HOV lane, so the bill is a two-year study for the committee to consider whether it’s worth continuing. Blood bank vehicles have logos so law enforcement would be able to identify them.

Bloodworks have served the state for a long time in transfusions, cell matching for organ transfusions, providing blood products for cancer treatments, etc. Bloodworks has 24 vehicles which drive 1.4 million miles a year, making over 70,000 deliveries to 90 hospitals. Annually, patients receive over 600,000 units of blood products. When there is traffic, often there are patients with a dire medical need waiting for blood. Access to HOV lanes would help get blood to patients who need the blood urgently. Bloodworks is a non-profit which also serves many cancer patients who use a large amount of blood that needs to be specifically matched.