HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5185

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to highway work done by state forces.

Brief Description:  Adjusting limits for highway work by state forces.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Benton, T. Sheldon, Finkbeiner, Goings, Gardner, Prentice, Sellar and Winsley).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  3/18/99, 3/30/99 [DP].

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$The project limit for activities that may be contracted out or performed by state work forces is increased from $30,000 to $50,000, and is increased to $60,000 on July 1, 2005.

$In emergency situations, this limit is increased from $50,000 to $80,000 and is increased to $100,000 on July 1, 2005.

$These increases reflect adjustments for inflation.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; K. Schmidt, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Buck; G. Chandler; DeBolt; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Mitchell; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Schual-Berke; Scott; Skinner and Wood.

Staff:  Ashley Probart (786-7319).

Background:

State law determines the dollar amount of highway construction work that may be performed by state work forces.

Current state law requires construction activities to be contracted out if the project activity will exceed $30,000.  Project activities less than $30,000 may be contracted or performed by state work forces.

In emergency situations that constitute a danger to the traveling public, state forces may perform work activities that are less than $50,000.

These contracting limits were last adjusted for inflation in 1984.

Summary of Bill:

The project limit for activities that may be contracted out or performed by state work forces is increased from $30,000 to $50,000, and is increased to $60,000 on July 1, 2005.  In emergency situations, this limit is increased from $50,000 to $80,000 and is increased to $100,000 on July 1, 2005.

These increases reflect adjustments for inflation.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill addresses the impacts of inflation on materials and equipment costs that have occurred since 1984.  It allows the Department of Transportation to quickly meet the needs of its customers by flexibly and efficiently managing the delivery of services, while still meeting the purpose of ensuring the majority of non-maintenance work is by outside contractors.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (Support) Bev Hermanson, Washington Federation of State Employees; and Rico Baroga, Washington State Department of Transportation.