BILL REQ. #:  H-0431.1 

Read first time 01/11/2007.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to preferential parking for alternative fuel vehicles; and amending RCW 46.61.577 and 70.94.531.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 46.61.577 and 1981 c 185 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of transportation may adopt ((regulations)) rules governing the use and control of park and ride lots and other parking facilities operated by the department of transportation, including time limits for the parking of vehicles. Rules adopted under this section must allow single-occupant alternative fuel vehicles to park in spaces designated for high-occupancy vehicles. As used in this section, "alternative fuel vehicle" means passenger cars, light duty trucks, and medium duty passenger vehicles that use as motor vehicle fuel natural gas, propane, hydrogen, or electricity, or that are powered by both electricity and gasoline, and have a United States environmental protection agency highway gasoline mileage rating of at least forty miles per gallon.

Sec. 2   RCW 70.94.531 and 2006 c 329 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) State agency worksites are subject to the same requirements under this section and RCW 70.94.534 as private employers.
     (2) Not more than ninety days after the adoption of a jurisdiction's commute trip reduction plan, each major employer in that jurisdiction shall perform a baseline measurement consistent with the rules established by the department of transportation under RCW 70.94.537. Not more than ninety days after receiving the results of the baseline measurement, each major employer shall develop a commute trip reduction program and shall submit a description of that program to the jurisdiction for review. The program shall be implemented not more than ninety days after approval by the jurisdiction.
     (3) A commute trip reduction program of a major employer shall consist of, at a minimum (a) designation of a transportation coordinator and the display of the name, location, and telephone number of the coordinator in a prominent manner at each affected worksite; (b) regular distribution of information to employees regarding alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting; (c) a regular review of employee commuting and reporting of progress toward meeting the single-occupant vehicle reduction goals to the county, city, or town consistent with the method established in the commute trip reduction plan and the rules established by the department of transportation under RCW 70.94.537; and (d) implementation of a set of measures designed to achieve the applicable commute trip reduction goals adopted by the jurisdiction. Such measures may include but are not limited to:
     (i) Provision of preferential parking or reduced parking charges, or both, for high-occupancy vehicles and, at the discretion of the employer, for alternative fuel vehicles as defined in RCW 46.61.577;
     (ii) Instituting or increasing parking charges for single-occupant vehicles;
     (iii) Provision of commuter ride matching services to facilitate employee ridesharing for commute trips;
     (iv) Provision of subsidies for transit fares;
     (v) Provision of vans for van pools;
     (vi) Provision of subsidies for car pooling or van pooling;
     (vii) Permitting the use of the employer's vehicles for car pooling or van pooling;
     (viii) Permitting flexible work schedules to facilitate employees' use of transit, car pools, or van pools;
     (ix) Cooperation with transportation providers to provide additional regular or express service to the worksite;
     (x) Construction of special loading and unloading facilities for transit, car pool, and van pool users;
     (xi) Provision of bicycle parking facilities, lockers, changing areas, and showers for employees who bicycle or walk to work;
     (xii) Provision of a program of parking incentives such as a rebate for employees who do not use the parking facility;
     (xiii) Establishment of a program to permit employees to work part or full time at home or at an alternative worksite closer to their homes;
     (xiv) Establishment of a program of alternative work schedules such as compressed work week schedules which reduce commuting; and
     (xv) Implementation of other measures designed to facilitate the use of high-occupancy vehicles such as on-site day care facilities and emergency taxi services.
     (4) Employers or owners of worksites may form or utilize existing transportation management associations or other transportation-related associations authorized by RCW 35.87A.010 to assist members in developing and implementing commute trip reduction programs.
     (5) Employers shall make a good faith effort towards achievement of the goals identified in RCW 70.94.527(4)(d).