HOUSE BILL REPORT
2SSB 6499
As Passed House - Amended:
March 22, 2000
Title: An act relating to transportation funding and appropriations.
Brief Description: Funding transportation.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Goings, Gardner and Patterson; by request of Governor Locke).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Transportation: 3/22/00 [DPA].
Floor Activity:
Passed House - Amended: 3/22/00, 98-0.
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Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill (As Amended by House Committee)
$Adopting the 1999-01 supplemental transportation budget.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; Mitchell, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Edwards, Democratic 2nd Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Buck; G. Chandler; DeBolt; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Schual-Berke; Scott; Skinner; Wood and Woods.
Staff: Gary LeBow (786-7304).
Background:
The transportation budget provides appropriations to the major transportation agencies: the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the Department of Licensing (DOL), the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), and the County Road Administration Board. It also provides appropriations out of transportation funds to many smaller agencies with transportation functions.
Summary of Committee Striking Amendment to 2SSB 6499:
The 1999-01 transportation budget totaled approximately $4 billion. Subsequently, Initiative 695 (I-695) passed in the November 1999 general election. The supplemental transportation budget reflects adjustments made as a result of the passage of I-695.
Department of Transportation - $2.47 billion
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $3.28 billion; $0.8 billion reduction)
State Highways: $1.6 billion
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $2.1 billion; $500 million reduction)
$$821 million is provided for state highway improvements, including:
$Congestion Relief: $359 million is provided for highway capacity improvements, including major projects such as Sunset Interchange on I-90, and Sprague Avenue to Argonne Road on I-90 in Spokane.
$HOV Lanes: $114 million is provided for the design, right of way, and construction of HOV projects, including $42 million in partially restored funding for projects on I-5, SR 16, and SR 525.
$Safety: $144 million is provided to improve the safety of state highways, including $35 million in partially restored funding to continue projects on SR 12, SR 17, and SR 395.
$Economic Development: $125 million in state funding is provided for economic initiatives, including $24 million in partially restored funding for projects on I-90, SR 167, SR 397, and SR 519.
$Environmental: $27 million is provided for environmental projects, including $16 million being partially restored for Endangered Species Act project certification, fish passage barrier removal, and storm water run-off projects.
$Narrow's Bridge Project: $50 million is provided for the 2nd Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
$$532 million is provided for highway preservation projects, including repaving roadways, repairing and rebuilding bridges, and repairing unstable slopes.
$$237 million is provided for maintenance activities on state highways. Activities include patching roadways, pavement striping, traffic signal maintenance, highway illumination, and snow and ice removal.
Washington State Ferries B Operating: $291 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $303 million; $12 million reduction)
$$5.1 million in one-time funding is provided for passenger-only service from Bremerton to Seattle and Vashon Island to Seattle.
$$5.0 million is provided to partially restore auto ferry service.
Washington State Ferries B Capital: $161 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $285 million; $124 million reduction)
$Funding is provided for existing work currently under contract, as well as some critical preservation activities, through the end of the biennium.
Rail B Operating: $28.4 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $33.1 million; $4.6 million reduction)
$$3.5 million is eliminated by discontinuing the second daily Amtrak run to Bellingham.
Rail B Capital: $48.5 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $93 million; $44.5 million reduction)
$$15 million is provided for the state's share of a rail maintenance facility.
$$500,000 is provided for securing funding for the purchase of refrigerated rail cars for shipping produce via Amtrak to the east coast.
Public Transportation: $17 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $25.4 million; $8.4 million reduction)
$$ 2.25 million is provided for rural mobility projects.
$$ 10.1 million is provided for the Commute Trip Reduction program.
Highway Management and Facilities / Plant Construction & Supervision: $61.1 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $71.1 million; $9.9 million reduction)
$$2 million is provided for additional maintenance due to delayed completion of capital projects.
$$10 million is made available by delaying the construction of planned capital facility projects.
$$1 million in savings is realized through a variety of administrative cost reductions.
Aviation: $5.2 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $4.4 million; $800,000 increase)
$$550,000 is provided for additional grants to help reduce the backlog of necessary airport preservation projects.
$$240,000 is provided as a state match for a federal grant to complete an economic study of aviation in Washington.
Traffic Operations: $36.8 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $39.1 million; $2.3 million reduction)
$$2.3 million is made available by the elimination of one-time funding for low-cost traffic operation enhancements.
$$600,000 is provided to implement the Safety Service Patrol pilot project.
Transportation Management: $95 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $110.8 million; $15.8 million reduction)
$$16 million in savings is realized from a combination of reduced administrative and computer support, lower charges from other state agencies, and by the elimination of various computer-related projects.
Transportation Planning, Data, and Research: $28.5 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $30.5 million; $2 million reduction)
$$2 million is made available by postponing projects and through administrative cost reductions.
Highways & Local Programs: $76.4 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $155.6 million; $79.2 million reduction)
$$42.5 million is provided for local freight mobility projects.
$$10 million is provided for Washington's share of the Columbia River Dredging project.
Department of Licensing - $158.5 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $159.5 million; $1 million reduction)
$$758,000 is provided for the development and implementation of a system to allow for the direct, electronic transfer of citation information from Seattle Municipal Courts to the department.
$$241,000 in savings is achieved by mailing vehicle registration renewal notices bi-monthly instead of monthly.
$$295,000 in savings is achieved by eliminating the issuance of registration tabs for the front license plate.
$$304,000 in savings is achieved by mailing vehicle titles weekly instead of bi-weekly.
$$477,000 in savings is achieved by sending vehicle registration renewal notices in the form of a postcard rather than in the form of a letter with a return envelope.
$$977,000 in savings is realized through delayed hiring and vendor contract savings.
$$142,000 is provided to implement the intermediate driver's license legislation. (ESSB 6264)
Washington State Patrol - $230 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $231 million; $1 million reduction)
$$2.1 million in savings due to the elimination of the License Fraud task force and reassigning the investigators to other vacant positions within the WSP.
$$1.1 million in savings is due to positions being vacant from July 1, 1999 through November 30, 1999.
$$322,000 in savings is achieved by the removal of 2nd year inflation.
$$2.2 million is provided for frontline trooper portable radios and related base stations to complete the upgrade funded in the original 1999-01 transportation budget.
$$398,000 is provided for the CVEO transition along with compensation for certification and court appearances.
Other Agencies
State Parks and Recreation B Capital = $1.1 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $2.7 million; $1.6 million reduction)
$$1.6 million in roadway projects funded in the 1999-01 transportation budget is removed.
Transportation Commission - $767,000
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $807,000; $40,000 reduction)
$$40,000 in savings is realized through personnel and administrative cost reductions.
Transportation Improvement Board - $270.4 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $237.4 million; $33 million increase)
$$30 million in funding is provided from the sale of bonds for partnership projects with the Department of Transportation, Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, and local jurisdictions; subject to the passage of HB 2788.
$$20 million in funding is provided from the sale of bonds for additional reimbursement requests anticipated from local jurisdictions.
$$15 million reduction in grants for public transportation capital projects.
Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board - $550,000
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $600,000; $50,000 reduction)
$$50,000 in savings is realized through administrative cost reductions.
County Road Administration Board - $91.0 million
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $111 million; $20 million reduction)
$$12 million reduction in rural arterial grants due to higher spending levels than anticipated in the 1997-99 biennium.
$$8 million reduction in Referendum 49 capital projects related to the freight and goods system on county roads.
(Original 1999-01 Budget = $111,000; $111,000 addition)
$$111,000 is provided for funding the grade crossing safety program through the second year of the biennium.
Appropriation: $3.249 billion.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
Testimony For: This budget is a good start to dealing with congestion that is choking our state.
Testimony Against: Opposed to the reduction of funding for road improvements within state parks.
Testified: (In support) Jerry Fay, Transportation Improvement Board; Michael Shaw, Association of Cities; Mark Brown, City of Vancouver; Jay Weber; County Road Administration Board; Chief Annette Sandberg, Washington State Patrol; Sid Morrison, Washington State Department of Transportation; Rick Wickman, Association of Washington Businesses; Duke Schaub, Association of General Contractors; and Jim Halstrom, Master Builders of King & Snohomish Counties, and Horticultural Association.
(In support with concerns) Greg Devereux, Washington Federation of State Employees.
(Oppose) Jim King, Coalition for Parks and Recreation.