AN ACT Relating to the rail development commission; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that in many areas of the state, alternatives to highway transportation are necessary to adequately move the state's citizens and its commerce. In rural areas, continued railroad abandonments have reduced the options for transportation of agricultural products and threaten the economic health of many areas of the state. While rail lines lie idle, increased volumes of truck traffic require significant improvement of rural public roads.

The legislature finds that in urban areas, ever-increasing volumes of traffic congest the highway system vital to the movement of people, goods, and services in metropolitan areas. Without relief, these arteries will no longer provide the mobility for which they were intended.

The legislature seeks to provide for a comprehensive examination of the rail freight issue and rail passenger service, particularly urban rail systems.

It is the intent of the legislature to establish a temporary commission, made up of persons interested in and affected by these rail issues. This commission shall make recommendations to the legislature regarding future Washington policy for rail freight and rail passenger service. It is further the intent that this commission should also address future use of rail corridors and rights of way in this state, as they relate to such services. In developing recommendations, the legislature desires that the commission use the numerous studies and plans on these subjects that have been completed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The rail development commission is created to carry out the functions of this act. The commission shall consist of seventeen voting members.

(2) The governor shall appoint thirteen members, as follows:

(a) Four as city representatives, who shall be elected city officials, with at least one from a small city or town affected by abandonment of rail freight service and one from a large city who was a member of the Puget Sound council of governments multicorridor steering committee;

(b) Four as county representatives, who shall be elected county officials, with at least one from a small county affected by abandonment of rail freight service and one from a large county who was a member of the Puget Sound council of governments multicorridor steering committee;

(d) Two citizens from Western Washington to represent the private sector, with at least one of the four citizen members from the development community; and

(e) One representative of a railroad.

(3) The four remaining members shall be:

(a) The secretary of transportation or a designee;

(b) One additional representative of the department of transportation appointed by the secretary of transportation;

(c) The director of the Washington state transportation center created by agreement between the University of Washington, Washington State University, and the department of transportation; and

(d) The director of the Washington public ports association or a designee.

(4) The chair of the legislative transportation committee shall appoint four members of the legislature to serve as nonvoting members of the commission.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The commission shall choose a chair from among its membership and shall adopt rules related to its powers and duties under this act. Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050, 43.03.060, and 44.04.120, as appropriate. Members appointed by the governor shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.220. Expenses of the commission shall be paid from the rail development account. The commission has all powers necessary to carry out its duties as prescribed by this act. The commission shall be dissolved on June 30, 1989.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The commission may employ staff as necessary to carry out this act. The legislative transportation committee, the Washington state transportation center, and the department of transportation may provide additional staff support for the commission. The legislative transportation committee must approve the commission's budget plan before the commission may expend funds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The commission shall study the following subjects:

(1) Rail freight systems, including:

(a) Funding levels necessary to address the state rail assistance account and loan programs for local rail efforts and to preserve essential rail freight corridors;

(b) Any institutional changes necessary to enhance state and local rail freight efforts; and

(2) Rail passenger systems, including:

(a) Light rail planning efforts and evaluation of institutional alternatives for constructing and operating any viable systems, and recommend preferred options;

(b) Recommended actions for interim steps and an appropriate timetable to develop such a future system including right of way preservation, environmental impact studies, preliminary engineering, and similar items;

(c) Long-term funding necessary for such systems and recommendations regarding sources to include a subsidy or fare-box ratios, or both;

(d) The role of Amtrak-type service or commuter service in rail passenger movements and the state and local relationship to such service;

(e) The future of high-speed rail transit, including the desirability of intercity corridor preservation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The commission shall report to the legislative transportation committee on the rail freight program by December 1, 1987. Recommendations on the remainder of study shall be submitted by December 1, 1988, with an interim report in December 1987, recommending items that need to be addressed more quickly.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The sum of three hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the rail development commission from the rail development account created in section 1, chapter ... (HB ..... (H-1738)), Laws of 1987, for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, to carry out this act: PROVIDED, That if HB ..... (H-1738) does not become law, the appropriation shall be made from the general fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.