HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1085

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to reducing single-occupancy vehicle travel by students to college campuses.

Brief Description:  Authorizing community and technical colleges to develop and fund transportation demand management programs.

Sponsors:  Representatives R. Fisher, Jacobsen, Pruitt, Romero, J. Kohl, Leonard, Basich, Shin, Wood, Dunshee, R. Meyers, Brough, Kessler, Johanson and Wolfe.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 10, 1993, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Mielke, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brough; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Finkbeiner; Fuhrman; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; R. Meyers; Miller; H. Myers; Orr; Patterson; Quall; Sheldon; Shin; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Without recommendation.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Hansen.

Staff:  Brian McMorrow (786-7304).

Background:  The Legislature has found that transportation demand management programs are an effective strategy for discouraging single-occupant vehicle travel, especially in densely populated urban areas where roads are congested and ambient air quality is unsatisfactory.  The Legislature has already required many public and private employers in the state's eight largest counties to implement transportation demand management programs, and has provided substantial funding for the University of Washington's UPASS program, which has been immensely successful during its first two years of implementation.

The Legislature intends to reduce further the number of single-occupant vehicles on the state's roads and highways, improve ambient air quality in the federally designated nonattainment areas, and provide institutions of higher learning with an easier means to address serious parking shortages at their campuses. 

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Institutions of higher learning in Washington State are permitted to develop and fund transportation demand management programs.  Any institution of higher learning may impose a quarterly, semestral, or annual transportation fee on its students to fund transportation demand management programs that reduce the need for campus and neighborhood parking, and promote alternatives to single-occupant vehicle driving.  The transportation fee may not exceed 10 percent of in-state student tuition and required fees.

The bill restricts the use of transportation fees to activities directly related to the institution of higher learning's transportation demand management program.  Examples of these activities include:  transit, ridesharing programs and bicycle storage facilities.  Funds may be used for capital or operating costs, and may be used for existing programs if they are incorporated into the campus transportation demand management program.  Institutions that impose transportation fees are encouraged to include faculty and staff in their programs.

The board of trustees of each institution of higher learning imposing a transportation fee must adopt guidelines governing the establishment and funding of transportation programs supported by transportation fees.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  All institutions of higher learning in Washington State may impose a transportation fee on their students without their consent.  The original bill affected only community and technical colleges in the eight largest counties, and required the consent of the students through a one-time referendum.

The Legislature encourages institutions of higher education to include faculty and staff in their transportation demand management programs.  The original bill did not mention faculty and staff.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 22, 1993.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Transportation demand management programs provide alternatives to single-occupant vehicle travel and reduce the demand for additional parking facilities.  Colleges and universities are responsible for significant numbers of single-occupant vehicle trips to and from their campuses.  Students at these institutions are usurping parking spaces from surrounding residential communities because existing parking facilities cannot accommodate students' current demand.  This bill provides institutions of higher learning with an effective tool to promote alternatives to single-occupant vehicle travel by their students.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Bill Roach, METRO; Jim Slakey, Department of Transportation (with amendment); Martin Minkoff, Whatcom Transportation Authority (with amendment); Richard Hayes, Kitsap Transit; and Steve McLellan, Washington State Energy Office.