HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1317

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to transportation planning.

Brief Description:  Enhancing regional transportation planning.

Sponsors:  Representatives Murray, K. Schmidt, Fisher, Romero, Ogden, Scott, Hankins, Skinner, Morris, Lovick, Cooper, Reardon, O'Brien, Wood and McIntire.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/26/99, 1/28/99 [DPS].

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Requires at least one member from each caucus in the House of Representatives and State Senate to be Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) board members.  (The legislators are selected by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, respectively.)  Additional state legislators whose districts are within an RTPO are ex-officio, nonvoting board members.

$Requires RTPOs to provide a schedule of their six-year Transportation Improvement Program to state legislators whose districts are within an RTPO.

$Places an emphasis on modal integration planning.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; Schmidt, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Edwards, Democratic 2nd Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Chandler; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Mitchell; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Romero; Schindler; Schual-Berke; Scott; Skinner and Wood.

Staff:  Ashley Probart (786-7319).

Background:

There are 14 regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs) in Washington.  Each RTPO has a policy board that provides direction on the implementation of their six-year transportation improvement program (TIP) and their regional transportation plan.

A regional transportation planning organization policy board is required to include cities, counties, port districts, transit districts, major employers, and the Department of Transportation (DOT).  Several RTPOs provide information to their state legislators on RTPO functions, but it is not a state requirement.

The six-year TIP proposes regionally significant transportation projects and a financial plan that demonstrates how the program is to be funded.  The six-year TIP is updated at least every two years, but can be amended during the interim.

The regional transportation planning process establishes standards for a regional transportation plan, coordination between RTPOs, and in conjunction with state planning efforts, identifies and plans improvements that are important to moving people and goods on a regional and statewide basis.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The RTPO board membership is modified.  One member from each caucus of the House of Representatives and State Senate is a board member.  The legislators are selected by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, respectively.  Additional members of the House of Representatives or the State Senate whose districts are within the boundaries of the RTPO are considered ex-officio, nonvoting board members.

The RTPOs are required to provide a schedule of their six-year TIP to state legislators within their boundaries.  The schedule is to include decision process points, updates, and amendments to the six-year TIP.

Through the regional transportation planning process, and through state planning efforts, RTPOs are required to identify and jointly plan the most efficient strategy to address identified deficiencies, including investments in modal integration, in corridors that are important to moving people and goods on a regional and statewide basis.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The RTPO Board membership is modified.  One member from each caucus of the House of Representatives and State Senate is a board member.  The legislators are selected by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, respectively.  Additional members of the House of Representatives or the State Senate whose districts are within the boundaries of the RTPO are considered ex-officio, nonvoting board members.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will strengthen the communication between regional transportation planning organizations and members of the state Legislature.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (support) Representative Murray, prime sponsor; and Charlie Howard, Washington State Department of Transportation.