FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2169

                         C 109 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Establishing board membership criteria for regional transit authorities.

By Representatives R. Fisher and Heavey.

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:  The King, Pierce and Snohomish county councils voted in 1993 to establish the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (RTA).  The establishment of such an authority within the boundaries of the three-county area was authorized by Chapter 101, Laws of 1992, requiring the approval of the county councils of at least two contiguous counties.  The RTA is vested with high capacity transportation system development in the region, including imposition of voter-approved taxes for development and operation of high capacity transportation systems.

The 18-member authority is made up of the secretary of the Department of Transportation and representatives from each county, appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the county legislative authority.  Initial membership on the RTA is based on one member for each 145,000 population within the county: 10 members from King County, four from Pierce County, and three from Snohomish County.  County-appointed members must be mayors, city council members, or members of the county legislative authority from jurisdictions within the authority boundaries.  Exercising a provision in law, the locally-elected officials granted the secretary voting status.  Authority by-laws provide that proxy votes on the authority are not permitted.

Summary:  County executives from counties within regional transit authority boundaries are made eligible to be appointed as members of an RTA.

Language is added providing that only board members, not including alternates or designees, may cast votes on the authority.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  92 0

Senate 46 0

Effective:  June 9, 1994