H-4142.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2974
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 56th Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By Representatives Constantine, Poulsen, Fisher, Haigh, Lantz, Rockefeller, Cooper, Eickmeyer, Morris and Kessler
Read first time 01/25/2000. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to passenger-only ferry operation districts; adding a new section to chapter 36.54 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 47.60 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 36.54 RCW to read as follows:
Any county of the state may organize a passenger-only ferry operation district. A passenger-only ferry operation district may be formed by a majority vote of the elected county legislative authority. The members of the county legislative authority shall serve as the governing officials of the passenger-only ferry district. The boundaries of the passenger-only ferry district shall be the same as the boundaries of the county whose legislative authority formed the district. The passenger-only ferry district shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) The passenger-only ferry district shall operate passenger-only ferries serving the residents of the district. The district shall contract with a nonprofit corporation to operate the passenger-only ferry service authorized by this section.
(2) The passenger-only ferry district may purchase or lease passenger-only vessels from the department of transportation or from another source.
(3) The passenger-only ferry district may set passenger fares at the level necessary to generate sufficient revenue to pay for the cost of operating the vessels leased or purchased by the district. The fares assessed and collected by the nonprofit corporation operating the passenger-only ferry service on behalf of the passenger-only ferry district are a proprietary charge by the corporation and are not a monetary charge by government.
(4) When deemed necessary by the legislative authority of the county containing the passenger-only ferry district, the authority may by resolution call a special election. The resolution calling such election shall fix the form of the ballot proposition to be presented to the electorate of the passenger-only ferry district.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 47.60 RCW to read as follows:
The department shall lease passenger-only ferries to a passenger-only ferry district for a nominal amount. The lease shall grant the passenger-only ferry operation district reasonable access to the department's docks and terminal facilities as necessary to facilitate the provision of regularly scheduled passenger-only ferry service to the residents of the district. As a condition of the lease, the passenger-only ferry district must agree to provide regularly scheduled passenger-only ferry service available to residents of the passenger-only ferry district. The department shall construct the lease so that obligations between the state and federal government relating to passenger-only ferries are not violated.
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