S-4571               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6820

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Smitherman, Craswell, Vognild, Metcalf, Bender, Owen, McMullen, Williams, Rinehart, Warnke and von Reichbauer

Read first time 1/29/90 and referred to Committee on  Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to the Washington state ferry system passenger-only service; amending section 31, chapter 6, Laws of 1989 1st ex. sess. (uncodified); and declaring an emergency.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 31, chapter 6, Laws of 1989 1st ex. sess. (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

!tp1FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION‑-MARINE‑-PROGRAM X

@i2Ferry System Fund Appropriation!w×!tr$!sc ,16

!ae0!tr167,808,589

          The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations:

          (1) The appropriation is based on the budgeted expenditure of $19,643,704 for vessel operating fuel in the 1989-91 biennium.  If the actual cost of fuel is less than this budgeted amount, the excess amount shall not be expended.  If the actual cost exceeds this amount, the department shall request a supplemental appropriation.

          (2) In the event that revenues available to the ferry system fund are not sufficient to support the expenditures necessary for the operation and maintenance of the state ferry system as authorized in this section, the department may transfer funds from the Puget Sound ferry operations account to the ferry system fund.

          (3) The appropriation contained in this section provides for the compensation of ferry employees, including increases.  The expenditures for compensation paid to ferry employees during the 1989-91 biennium shall not exceed $110,842,958 plus a dollar amount, as prescribed by the office of financial management, which is equal to any insurance benefit increase granted general government employees in excess of $224.75 a month annualized per eligible marine employee multiplied by the number of eligible marine employees for the respective fiscal year, a dollar amount as prescribed by the office of financial management for salary increases during the 1989-91 biennium, and a dollar amount as prescribed by the office of financial management for costs associated with pension amortization charges and cost of living allowances.  For the purposes of this section, the expenditures for compensation paid to ferry employees shall be limited to salaries and wages and employee benefits as defined in the office of financial management's policies, regulations, and procedures named under objects of expenditure "A" and "B" (7.2.6.2).  Of the $110,842,958 provided for compensation, plus the prescribed insurance benefit, pension, and salary increase dollar amount:

          (a) The maximum dollar amount which shall be allocated from the governor's compensation salary appropriation is in addition to the appropriation contained in this section and may be used to increase compensation costs, effective January 1, 1990;

          (b) The prescribed insurance benefit increase dollar amount which shall be allocated from the governor's compensation insurance benefits appropriation is in addition to the appropriation contained in this section and may be used to increase compensation costs, effective July 1, 1989;

          (c) The maximum dollar amount which shall be allocated from the governor's compensation salary appropriation is in addition to the appropriation contained in this section and shall be used to maintain any 1989-90 compensation increase and may be used to increase compensation costs, effective January 1, 1991.

          In no event may the June 30, 1990, hourly salary rate increase exceed any average hourly salary rate increase granted during the 1989-90 fiscal year.

          In no event may the June 30, 1991, hourly salary rate increase exceed any salary rate increase granted during the 1990-91 fiscal year.

          (4) The department of transportation shall provide the legislative transportation committee with a monthly report concerning the status of the operating program authorized in this section.

          (5) The appropriation in this section contains $1,000,000 which shall be expended only to complete the marine division payroll/personnel integration project.

          (6) The transportation commission shall propose to the legislative transportation committee a reporting structure that reflects the respective operating expenditures and revenues supporting each of the vessel routes by December 31, 1989.  The proposed reporting structure should be tied to existing accounting data and should provide the legislature adequate information to examine the tax subsidy required to support the operation of the various routes.

(7) The appropriation contained in this section provides for restoration of Bremerton passenger-only service and implementation of passenger-only service to Vashon Island.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect March 1, 1990.