BILL REQ. #:  H-4137.2 

Prefiled 01/11/08. Read first time 01/14/08.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to prioritizing existing funding for special safety corridor projects; amending RCW 46.16.270; adding a new section to chapter 46.68 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 46.16.270 and 2005 c 314 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:
     ((The total replacement plate fee shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.))
     (1) Upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of one or both of the vehicle license number plates issued for any vehicle where more than one plate was originally issued or where one or both have become so illegible or in such a condition as to be difficult to distinguish, or upon the owner's option, the owner of the vehicle shall make application for new vehicle license number plates upon a form furnished by the director. The application shall be filed with the director or the director's authorized agent, accompanied by the certificate of license registration of the vehicle and a fee in the amount of ten dollars per plate, whereupon the director, or the director's authorized agent, shall issue new vehicle license number plates to the applicant. It shall be accompanied by a fee of two dollars for a new motorcycle license number plate. In the event the director has issued license period tabs or a windshield emblem instead of vehicle license number plates, and upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of the tabs or windshield emblem, application shall be made on a form provided by the director and in the same manner as above described, and shall be accompanied by a fee of one dollar for each pair of tabs or for each windshield emblem, whereupon the director shall issue to the applicant a duplicate pair of tabs, year tabs, and when necessary month tabs or a windshield emblem to replace those lost, defaced, or destroyed. For vehicles owned, rented, or leased by the state of Washington or by any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington or United States government, or owned or leased by the governing body of an Indian tribe as defined in RCW 46.16.020, a fee shall be charged for replacement of a vehicle license number plate only to the extent required by the provisions of RCW 46.16.020, 46.16.237, and 46.01.140. For vehicles owned, rented, or leased by foreign countries or international bodies to which the United States government is a signatory by treaty, the payment of any fee for the replacement of a vehicle license number plate shall not be required.
     (2) The replacement fee shall be deposited as follows:
     (a) Seven dollars per vehicle license number plate in the motor vehicle fund; and
     (b) Three dollars per vehicle license number plate in the special safety corridor account created in section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.68 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The special safety corridor account is created in the motor vehicle fund. All receipts from the fee imposed under RCW 46.16.270(1) for replacement vehicle license number plates, as distributed under RCW 46.16.270(2)(b), must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used for special safety corridor projects. Special safety corridor projects are projects that may require bond financing to complete construction and safety improvements. The following criteria shall be used in determining which special safety corridor projects have the highest priority:
     (a) Fatal accident experience;
     (b) Historic underfunding of safety improvements;
     (c) Ability to leverage additional nonstate revenue sources;
     (d) Contribute to the economic development of the corridor; and
     (e) Provide additional capacity to move people and goods safely.
     (2) The following projects, listed in order of priority, are eligible for special safety corridor account funding:
     (a) State route number 2 beginning near the junction with state route number 9 at milepost 5 to the King county line at Stevens Pass near milepost 64;
     (b) State route number 97 beginning at milepost 0 to milepost 63; and
     (c) State route number 20 beginning near Sedro Woolley at milepost 64 to near Newport at milepost 436.
     Moneys deposited in the special safety corridor account may be used for payment of debt service on bonds the proceeds of which are used to finance special safety corridor projects under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   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.