BILL REQ. #:  Z-0362.2 

Read first time 01/22/2003.   Referred to Committee on Highways & Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to modifying the commute trip reduction program; amending RCW 70.94.527, 82.08.0287, 82.12.0282, and 82.44.015; repealing RCW 47.01.900 and 82.67.050; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 70.94.527 and 1997 c 250 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each county with a population over one hundred fifty thousand, and each city or town within those counties containing a major employer ((shall, by October 1, 1992,)) may adopt by ordinance and implement a commute trip reduction plan for all major employers. The plan shall be developed in cooperation with local transit agencies, regional transportation planning organizations as established in RCW 47.80.020, major employers, and the owners of and employers at major worksites. The plan shall be designed to achieve reductions in the proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips and the commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee by employees of major public and private sector employers in the jurisdiction.
     (2) All other counties, and cities and towns in those counties, may adopt and implement a commute trip reduction plan.
     (3) The department of ecology may, after consultation with the department of transportation, as part of the state implementation plan for areas that do not attain the national ambient air quality standards for carbon monoxide or ozone, require municipalities other than those identified in subsection (1) of this section to adopt and implement commute trip reduction plans if the department determines that such plans are necessary for attainment of said standards.
     (4) A commute trip reduction plan shall be consistent with the guidelines established under RCW 70.94.537 and shall include but is not limited to (a) goals for reductions in the proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips and the commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee; (b) designation of commute trip reduction zones; (c) requirements for major public and private sector employers to implement commute trip reduction programs; (d) a commute trip reduction program for employees of the county, city, or town; (e) a review of local parking policies and ordinances as they relate to employers and major worksites and any revisions necessary to comply with commute trip reduction goals and guidelines; (f) an appeals process by which major employers, who as a result of special characteristics of their business or its locations would be unable to meet the requirements of a commute trip reduction plan, may obtain waiver or modification of those requirements; and (g) means for determining base year values of the proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips and the commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee and progress toward meeting commute trip reduction plan goals on an annual basis. Goals which are established shall take into account existing transportation demand management efforts which are made by major employers. Each jurisdiction shall ensure that employers shall receive full credit for the results of transportation demand management efforts and commute trip reduction programs which have been implemented by major employers prior to the base year. The goals for miles traveled per employee for all major employers shall not be less than a fifteen percent reduction from the worksite base year value or the base year value for the commute trip reduction zone in which their worksite is located by January 1, 1995, twenty percent reduction from the base year values by January 1, 1997, twenty-five percent reduction from the base year values by January 1, 1999, and a thirty-five percent reduction from the base year values by January 1, 2005.
     (5) A county, city, or town may, as part of its commute trip reduction plan, require commute trip reduction programs for employers with ten or more full time employees at major worksites in federally designated nonattainment areas for carbon monoxide and ozone. The county, city or town shall develop the programs in cooperation with affected employers and provide technical assistance to the employers in implementing such programs.
     (6) The commute trip reduction plans adopted by counties, cities, and towns under this chapter shall be consistent with and may be incorporated in applicable state or regional transportation plans and local comprehensive plans and shall be coordinated, and consistent with, the commute trip reduction plans of counties, cities, or towns with which the county, city, or town has, in part, common borders or related regional issues. Such regional issues shall include assuring consistency in the treatment of employers who have worksites subject to the requirements of this chapter in more than one jurisdiction. Counties, cities, or towns adopting commute trip reduction plans may enter into agreements through the interlocal cooperation act or by resolution or ordinance as appropriate with other jurisdictions, local transit agencies, or regional transportation planning organizations to coordinate the development and implementation of such plans. Transit agencies shall work with counties, cities, and towns to take into account the location of major employer worksites when planning transit service changes or the expansion of public transportation services. Counties, cities, or towns adopting a commute trip reduction plan shall review it annually and revise it as necessary to be consistent with applicable plans developed under RCW 36.70A.070.
     (7) Each county, city, or town implementing a commute trip reduction program shall, within thirty days submit a summary of its plan along with certification of adoption to the commute trip reduction task force established under RCW 70.94.537.
     (8) Each county, city, or town implementing a commute trip reduction program shall submit an annual progress report to the commute trip reduction task force established under RCW 70.94.537. The report shall be due July 1, 1994, and each July 1st thereafter through July 1, 2006. The report shall describe progress in attaining the applicable commute trip reduction goals for each commute trip reduction zone and shall highlight any problems being encountered in achieving the goals. The information shall be reported in a form established by the commute trip reduction task force.
     (9) Any waivers or modifications of the requirements of a commute trip reduction plan granted by a jurisdiction shall be submitted for review to the commute trip reduction task force established under RCW 70.94.537. The commute trip reduction task force may not deny the granting of a waiver or modification of the requirements of a commute trip reduction plan by a jurisdiction but they may notify the jurisdiction of any comments or objections.
     (10) Each county, city, or town implementing a commute trip reduction program shall count commute trips eliminated through work-at-home options or alternate work schedules as one and two-tenths vehicle trips eliminated for the purpose of meeting trip reduction goals.
     (11) Each county, city, or town implementing a commute trip reduction program shall ensure that employers that have modified their employees' work schedules so that some or all employees are not scheduled to arrive at work between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. are provided credit when calculating single-occupancy vehicle use and vehicle miles traveled at that worksite. This credit shall be awarded if implementation of the schedule change was an identified element in that worksite's approved commute trip reduction program or if the schedule change occurred because of impacts associated with chapter 36.70A RCW, the growth management act.
     (12) Plans implemented under this section shall not apply to commute trips for seasonal agricultural employees.
     (13) Plans implemented under this section shall not apply to construction worksites when the expected duration of the construction project is less than two years.

Sec. 2   RCW 82.08.0287 and 2001 c 320 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The tax imposed by this chapter shall not apply to sales of passenger motor vehicles which are to be used for commuter ride sharing or ride sharing for persons with special transportation needs, as defined in RCW 46.74.010, if the vehicles are used as ride-sharing vehicles for thirty-six consecutive months beginning from the date of purchase.
     To qualify for the tax exemption, those passenger motor vehicles with five or six passengers, including the driver, used for commuter ride-sharing, must be operated ((either)) within the state's ((eight)) nine largest counties that ((are required to)) develop commute trip reduction plans as directed by chapter 70.94 RCW or in other counties, or cities and towns within those counties, that elect to adopt and implement a commute trip reduction plan. Additionally at least one of the following conditions must apply: (1) The vehicle must be operated by a public transportation agency for the general public; or (2) the vehicle must be used by a major employer, as defined in RCW 70.94.524 as an element of its commute trip reduction program for their employees; or (3) the vehicle must be owned and operated by individual employees and must be registered either with the employer as part of its commute trip reduction program or with a public transportation agency serving the area where the employees live or work. Individual employee owned and operated motor vehicles will require certification that the vehicle is registered with a major employer or a public transportation agency. Major employers who own and operate motor vehicles for their employees must certify that the commuter ride-sharing arrangement conforms to a carpool/vanpool element contained within their commute trip reduction program or used primarily for van or car pooling purposes.

Sec. 3   RCW 82.12.0282 and 2001 c 320 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     The tax imposed by this chapter shall not apply with respect to the use of passenger motor vehicles used as ride-sharing vehicles by not less than five persons, including the driver, with a gross vehicle weight not to exceed 10,000 pounds where the primary usage is for commuter ride-sharing, as defined in RCW 46.74.010, by not less than four persons including the driver when at least two of those persons are confined to wheelchairs when riding, or passenger motor vehicles where the primary usage is for ride-sharing for persons with special transportation needs, as defined in RCW 46.74.010, if the vehicles are used as ride-sharing vehicles for thirty-six consecutive months beginning with the date of first use.
     To qualify for the tax exemption, those passenger motor vehicles with five or six passengers, including the driver, used for commuter ride-sharing, must be operated ((either)) within the state's ((eight)) nine largest counties that ((are required to)) develop commute trip reduction plans as directed by chapter 70.94 RCW or in other counties, or cities and towns within those counties, that elect to adopt and implement a commute trip reduction plan. Additionally at least one of the following conditions must apply: (1) The vehicle must be operated by a public transportation agency for the general public; or (2) the vehicle must be used by a major employer, as defined in RCW 70.94.524 as an element of its commute trip reduction program for their employees; or (3) the vehicle must be owned and operated by individual employees and must be registered either with the employer as part of its commute trip reduction program or with a public transportation agency serving the area where the employees live or work. Individual employee owned and operated motor vehicles will require certification that the vehicle is registered with a major employer or a public transportation agency. Major employers who own and operate motor vehicles for their employees must certify that the commuter ride-sharing arrangement conforms to a carpool/vanpool element contained within their commute trip reduction program or used primarily for van or car pooling purposes.

Sec. 4   RCW 82.44.015 and 1996 c 244 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     For the purposes of this chapter, in addition to the exclusions under RCW 82.44.010, "motor vehicle" shall not include passenger motor vehicles used primarily for commuter ride sharing and ride sharing for persons with special transportation needs, as defined in RCW 46.74.010. The registered owner of one of these vehicles shall notify the department of licensing upon termination of primary use of the vehicle in commuter ride sharing or ride sharing for persons with special transportation needs and shall be liable for the tax imposed by this chapter, prorated on the remaining months for which the vehicle is licensed.
     To qualify for the tax exemption, those passenger motor vehicles with five or six passengers, including the driver, used for commuter ride-sharing, must be operated ((either)) within the state's ((eight)) nine largest counties that ((are required to)) develop commute trip reduction plans as directed by chapter 70.94 RCW or in other counties, or cities and towns within those counties, that elect to adopt and implement a commute trip reduction plan. Additionally at least one of the following conditions must apply: (1) The vehicle must be operated by a public transportation agency for the general public; or (2) the vehicle must be used by a major employer, as defined in RCW 70.94.524 as an element of its commute trip reduction program for their employees; or (3) the vehicle must be owned and operated by individual employees and must be registered either with the employer as part of its commute trip reduction program or with a public transportation agency serving the area where the employees live or work. Individual employee owned and operated motor vehicles will require certification that the vehicle is registered with a major employer or a public transportation agency. Major employers who own and operate motor vehicles for their employees must certify that the commuter ride-sharing arrangement conforms to a carpool/vanpool element contained within their commute trip reduction program or used primarily for van or car pooling purposes.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 47.01.900 (Commute trip reduction program -- Transfer from state energy office -- References to director or state energy office) and 1998 c 245 s 93 & 1996 c 186 s 301; and
     (2) RCW 82.67.050 (Commute trip reduction task force report) and 2002 c 203 s 6.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   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 July 1, 2003.