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SENATE
BILL 6181
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Passed
Legislature ‑ 2001 1st Special Session
State
of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 1st Special Session
By
Read
first time . Referred to .
Allowing Washington state ferry fares to be increased in
excess of the fiscal growth factor.
AN
ACT Relating to allowing Washington state ferry fares to be increased in excess
of the fiscal growth factor; amending RCW 47.60.326; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
47.60.326 and 1999 c 94 s 27 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
In order to maintain an adequate, fair, and economically sound schedule of
charges for the transportation of passengers, vehicles, and commodities on the
Washington state ferries, the department of transportation each year shall
conduct a full review of such charges.
(2)
Prior to February 1st of each odd-numbered year the department shall transmit
to the transportation commission a report of its review together with its
recommendations for the revision of a schedule of charges for the ensuing
biennium. The commission on or before July 1st of that year shall adopt as a
rule, in the manner provided by the Washington administrative procedure act, a
schedule of charges for the Washington state ferries for the ensuing biennium
commencing July 1st. The schedule may initially be adopted as an emergency
rule if necessary to take effect on, or as near as possible to, July 1st.
(3)
The department in making its review and formulating recommendations and the
commission in adopting a schedule of charges may consider any of the following
factors:
(a)
The amount of subsidy available to the ferry system for maintenance and
operation;
(b)
The time and distance of ferry runs;
(c)
The maintenance and operation costs for ferry runs with a proper adjustment for
higher costs of operating outmoded or less efficient equipment;
(d)
The efficient distribution of traffic between cross-sound routes;
(e)
The desirability of reasonable commutation rates for persons using the ferry
system to commute daily to work;
(f)
The effect of proposed fares in increasing walk-on and vehicular passenger use;
(g)
The effect of proposed fares in promoting all types of ferry use during nonpeak
periods;
(h)
Such other factors as prudent managers of a major ferry system would consider.
(4)
If at any time during the biennium it appears that projected revenues from the
Puget Sound ferry operations account and any other operating subsidy available
to the Washington state ferries will be less than the projected total cost of
maintenance and operation of the Washington state ferries for the biennium, the
department shall forthwith undertake a review of its schedule of charges to
ascertain whether or not the schedule of charges should be revised. The
department shall, upon completion of its review report, submit its
recommendation to the transportation commission which may in its sound
discretion revise the schedule of charges as required to meet necessary
maintenance and operation expenditures of the ferry system for the biennium or
may defer action until the regular annual review and revision of ferry charges
as provided in subsection (2) of this section.
(5)
The provisions of RCW 47.60.330 relating to public participation shall apply to
the process of revising ferry tolls under this section.
(6)
Under RCW 43.135.055, the transportation commission may increase ferry tolls
included in the schedule of charges adopted under this section by a percentage
that exceeds the fiscal growth factor.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. This
act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or
safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and takes effect immediately.
