HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2451

As Reported by House Committee On:

Transportation

Title:  An act relating to transportation funding and appropriations.

Brief Description:  Making supplemental transportation appropriations.

Sponsors:  Representatives Fisher, Chase and Ogden; by request of Governor Locke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation:  3/12/02 [DPS].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Makes supplemental transportation appropriations.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Fisher, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Lovick, Vice Chair; Mitchell, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Edwards, Ericksen, Haigh, Hankins, Hatfield, Holmquist, Jackley, Jarrett, Mielke, Murray, Ogden, Reardon, Rockefeller, Romero, Schindler, Simpson, Skinner, Sullivan, Wood and Woods.

Staff:  Gary Lebow (786-7304) and Jerry Long (786‑7306).

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 Substitute Bill:

The 2001-03 transportation budget totaled $3.411 billion.  The supplemental budget revises the enacted 2001-03 transportation budget for changes in revenue forecasts (March 2001 vs. February 2002), technical adjustments and emerging issues.  The revised 2001-03 transportation budget provides $4.152 billion in transportation funding.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The 2001‑03 transportation budget enacted was $3.403 billion.  The original bill provides a revised transportation budget of $3.344 billion in transportation funding.  The substitute bill provides $3.352 billion and $800 million in bond expenditures for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.  Except for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, this is a reduction of $51 million from the 2001‑03 enacted transportation budget.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Appreciated the approach taken in addressing the $100 million general fund reduction.

(With concerns) Alaskan Way Viaduct was not funded.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Paula Hammond, Washington State Department of Transportation; and Bill LaBorde, Transportation Choices Coalition.

(With concerns) Stephanie Bowman, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce; Terry Finn, Port of Seattle; and Susan Crowley, city of Seattle