BILL REQ. #:  H-1225.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/19/07.   

     AN ACT Relating to a single ballot proposition for regional transportation investment districts and regional transit authorities at the 2007 general election; amending RCW 36.120.070 and 81.112.030; adding a new section to chapter 29A.36 RCW; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that traffic congestion reduces personal and freight mobility and is detrimental to the economy, air quality, and the quality of life throughout the central Puget Sound area. Effective transportation solutions are essential for the future growth and development of the central Puget Sound area and the welfare of its citizens.
     The legislature further finds that investments in both transit and road improvements are necessary to relieve traffic congestion and to improve mobility. The transportation improvements proposed by regional transportation investment districts and regional transit authorities within the central Puget Sound region form integral parts of, and are naturally and necessarily related to, a single regional transportation system. The construction of road and transit projects in a comprehensive and interrelated manner will help reduce transportation congestion, increase road capacity, promote safety, facilitate mobility, and improve the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens of Washington.
     The legislature further finds that under RCW 81.112.030 and 36.120.170 regional transportation investment districts and regional transit authorities are required to submit to the voters propositions for their respective transportation plans on the same ballot at the 2007 general election and that the opportunity to propose a single ballot reflecting a comprehensive, systemic, and interrelated approach to regional transportation would further the legislative intent and provide voters with an easier and more efficient method of expressing their will.
     It is therefore the policy and intent of the state of Washington that transportation plans required to be submitted for voter approval at the 2007 general election by a regional transportation investment district and a regional transit authority must be submitted to voters in single ballot question seeking approval of both plans.

Sec. 2   RCW 36.120.070 and 2006 c 311 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning no sooner than the 2007 general election, two or more contiguous county legislative authorities, or a single county legislative authority as provided under RCW 36.120.030(8), upon receipt of the regional transportation investment plan under RCW 36.120.040, may submit to the voters of the proposed district a single ballot ((measure)) proposition that approves formation of the district, approves the regional transportation investment plan, and approves the revenue sources necessary to finance the plan. For a county to participate in the plan, the county legislative authority shall, within ninety days after receiving the plan, adopt an ordinance indicating the county's participation. The planning committee may draft the ballot ((measure)) proposition on behalf of the county legislative authorities, and the county legislative authorities may give notice as required by law for ballot ((measures)) propositions, and perform other duties as required to submit the ((measure)) proposition to the voters of the proposed district for their approval or rejection. Counties may negotiate interlocal agreements necessary to implement the plan. The electorate will be the voters voting within the boundaries of the proposed district. A simple majority of the total persons voting on the single ballot ((measure)) proposition is required for approval.
     (2) ((In conjunction with RCW 81.112.030(10), at the 2007 general election)) The participating counties shall submit a regional transportation investment plan ((on the same ballot along with a proposition to support additional implementation phases of the authority's system and financing plan developed under chapter 81.112 RCW. The plan shall not be considered approved unless voters also approve the proposition to support additional implementation phases of the authority's system and financing plan)) at the 2007 general election as part of a single ballot proposition that includes, in conjunction with RCW 81.112.030(10), a plan to support an authority's system and financing plan, or additional implementation phases of the system and financing plan, developed under chapter 81.112 RCW. The regional transportation investment plan shall not be considered approved unless both a majority of the persons voting on the proposition residing in the proposed district vote in favor of the proposition and a majority of the persons voting on the proposition residing within the regional transit authority vote in favor of the proposition.

Sec. 3   RCW 81.112.030 and 2006 c 311 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     Two or more contiguous counties each having a population of four hundred thousand persons or more may establish a regional transit authority to develop and operate a high capacity transportation system as defined in chapter 81.104 RCW.
     The authority shall be formed in the following manner:
     (1) The joint regional policy committee created pursuant to RCW 81.104.040 shall adopt a system and financing plan, including the definition of the service area. This action shall be completed by September 1, 1992, contingent upon satisfactory completion of the planning process defined in RCW 81.104.100. The final system plan shall be adopted no later than June 30, 1993. In addition to the requirements of RCW 81.104.100, the plan for the proposed system shall provide explicitly for a minimum portion of new tax revenues to be allocated to local transit agencies for interim express services. Upon adoption the joint regional policy committee shall immediately transmit the plan to the county legislative authorities within the adopted service area.
     (2) The legislative authorities of the counties within the service area shall decide by resolution whether to participate in the authority. This action shall be completed within forty-five days following receipt of the adopted plan or by August 13, 1993, whichever comes first.
     (3) Each county that chooses to participate in the authority shall appoint its board members as set forth in RCW 81.112.040 and shall submit its list of members to the secretary of the Washington state department of transportation. These actions must be completed within thirty days following each county's decision to participate in the authority.
     (4) The secretary shall call the first meeting of the authority, to be held within thirty days following receipt of the appointments. At its first meeting, the authority shall elect officers and provide for the adoption of rules and other operating procedures.
     (5) The authority is formally constituted at its first meeting and the board shall begin taking steps toward implementation of the system and financing plan adopted by the joint regional policy committee. If the joint regional policy committee fails to adopt a plan by June 30, 1993, the authority shall proceed to do so based on the work completed by that date by the joint regional policy committee. Upon formation of the authority, the joint regional policy committee shall cease to exist. The authority may make minor modifications to the plan as deemed necessary and shall at a minimum review local transit agencies' plans to ensure feeder service/high capacity transit service integration, ensure fare integration, and ensure avoidance of parallel competitive services. The authority shall also conduct a minimum thirty-day public comment period.
     (6) If the authority determines that major modifications to the plan are necessary before the initial ballot proposition is submitted to the voters, the authority may make those modifications with a favorable vote of two-thirds of the entire membership. Any such modification shall be subject to the review process set forth in RCW 81.104.110. The modified plan shall be transmitted to the legislative authorities of the participating counties. The legislative authorities shall have forty-five days following receipt to act by motion or ordinance to confirm or rescind their continued participation in the authority.
     (7) If any county opts to not participate in the authority, but two or more contiguous counties do choose to continue to participate, the authority's board shall be revised accordingly. The authority shall, within forty-five days, redefine the system and financing plan to reflect elimination of one or more counties, and submit the redefined plan to the legislative authorities of the remaining counties for their decision as to whether to continue to participate. This action shall be completed within forty-five days following receipt of the redefined plan.
     (8) The authority shall place on the ballot within two years of the authority's formation, a single ballot proposition to authorize the imposition of taxes to support the implementation of an appropriate phase of the plan within its service area. In addition to the system plan requirements contained in RCW 81.104.100(2)(d), the system plan approved by the authority's board before the submittal of a proposition to the voters shall contain an equity element which:
     (a) Identifies revenues anticipated to be generated by corridor and by county within the authority's boundaries;
     (b) Identifies the phasing of construction and operation of high capacity system facilities, services, and benefits in each corridor. Phasing decisions should give priority to jurisdictions which have adopted transit-supportive land use plans; and
     (c) Identifies the degree to which revenues generated within each county will benefit the residents of that county, and identifies when such benefits will accrue.
     A simple majority of those voting within the boundaries of the authority is required for approval. If the vote is affirmative, the authority shall begin implementation of the projects identified in the proposition. However, the authority may not submit any authorizing proposition for voter-approved taxes prior to July 1, 1993; nor may the authority issue bonds or form any local improvement district prior to July 1, 1993.
     (9) If the vote on a proposition fails, the board may redefine the proposition, make changes to the authority boundaries, and make corresponding changes to the composition of the board. If the composition of the board is changed, the participating counties shall revise the membership of the board accordingly. The board may then submit the revised proposition or a different proposition to the voters. No single proposition may be submitted to the voters more than twice. Beginning no sooner than the 2007 general election, the authority may place additional propositions on the ballot to impose taxes to support additional phases of plan implementation.
     (10) ((In conjunction with RCW 36.120.070,)) At the 2007 general election, the authority shall submit a proposition to support a system and financing plan or additional implementation phases of the authority's system and financing plan ((on the same ballot along with a regional transportation investment plan developed under chapter 36.120 RCW. The proposition shall not be considered approved unless voters also approve the regional transportation investment plan)) as part of a single ballot proposition that includes a plan to support a regional transportation investment plan developed under chapter 36.120 RCW. The authority's plan shall not be considered approved unless both a majority of the persons voting on the proposition residing within the authority vote in favor of the proposition and a majority of the persons voting on the proposition residing within the proposed regional transportation investment district vote in favor of the proposition.
     (11) Additional phases of plan implementation may include a transportation subarea equity element which (a) identifies the combined authority and regional transportation investment district revenues anticipated to be generated by corridor and by county within the authority's boundaries, and (b) identifies the degree to which the combined authority and regional transportation investment district revenues generated within each county will benefit the residents of that county, and identifies when such benefits will accrue. For purposes of the transportation subarea equity principle established under this subsection, the authority may use the five subareas within the authority's boundaries as identified in the authority's system plan adopted in May 1996.
     (12) If the authority is unable to achieve a positive vote on a proposition within two years from the date of the first election on a proposition, the board may, by resolution, reconstitute the authority as a single-county body. With a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of the voting members, the board may also dissolve the authority.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 29A.36 RCW to read as follows:
     The election on the single ballot proposition described in RCW 36.120.070 and 81.112.030(10) must be conducted by the auditor of each component county in accordance with the general election laws of the state, except as provided in this section. Notice of the election must be published in one or more newspapers of general circulation in each component county in the manner provided in the general election laws. The single joint ballot proposition required under RCW 36.120.070 and 81.112.030(10) must be in substantially the following form:

To reduce transportation congestion, increase road capacity, promote safety, facilitate mobility, provide for an integrated regional transportation system, and improve the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens of Washington, shall a regional transit authority (RTA) implement a regional rail and transit system to link [insert geographic references] as described in [insert plan name], financed by [insert taxes] imposed by RTA, all as provided in Resolution No. [insert number]; and shall a regional transportation investment district (RTID) be formed and authorized to implement and invest in improving the regional transportation system by replacing vulnerable bridges, improving safety, and increasing capacity on state and local roads to further link major education, employment, and retail centers described in [insert plan name] financed by [insert taxes] imposed by RTID, all as provided in Resolution No. [insert number]; further provided that the RTA taxes shall be imposed only within the boundaries of the RTA, and the RTID taxes shall be imposed only within the boundaries of the RTID?

     Yes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . □
     No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . □"

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   Any legal challenges as to the constitutionality of this act must be filed in superior court along with any supporting legal and factual authority within twenty calendar days of the effective date of this act. Notice of a challenge along with any supporting legal and factual authority must be served upon the secretary of state, the attorney general, the district, and the authority. Upon the filing of a challenge, the state, district, and authority have ten calendar days to file any response to the challenge along with any supporting legal and factual authority. The court shall accord priority to hearing the matter and shall, within five calendar days of the filing of the response to the challenge, render its decision and file with the secretary of state a copy of its decision. The decision of the superior court constitutes a final judgment. Any appeal must be filed in the supreme court within ten calendar days after the date of the superior court decision. The supreme court shall issue its ruling on the appeal within thirty days of receipt by the court.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   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.