AN ACT Relating to studying the feasibility of a statewide infrastructure authority; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

To drive this process, the legislature intends to establish a joint select committee to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best governing structure, dedicated funding source, initial list of performance-based projects, and recommendations for public-private partnerships to achieve the infrastructure goals of the legislature.

Establishing a governing structure, an infrastructure authority, would allow for the leveraging of existing or new funding mechanisms and create opportunities for more efficient coordination of statewide infrastructure projects, drive long-term economic competitiveness on both a state and global level, contribute toward the nation's economic and national security interests, and provide equal access to economic opportunity for all the state's citizens.

(i) The president of the senate shall appoint two members from each of the largest caucuses of the senate.

(ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

(iii) At least two members from each caucus must be a member of the house of representatives and senate standing committees on transportation. Members appointed from the standing committees on transportation must include the chairs of the house of representatives and senate standing committees on transportation.

(iv) At least two members from each caucus must be a member of the house of representatives and senate standing committees on economic development. Members appointed from the standing committees on economic development must include the chairs of the house of representatives and senate standing committees on economic development.

(b) The committee cochairs must be the house of representatives and senate chairs of the standing economic development committees.

(2) The committee must complete a study to:

(a) Identify integrated infrastructure needs across the state, including needs related to fiber broadband, high-speed rail, and long haul air cargo;

(b) Assess potential organizational models for the new infrastructure authority;

(c) Explore alternative organizational and funding models that may have the capacity to facilitate meeting identified infrastructure development needs of the state;

(d) Evaluate the ability of the identified organizational models to engage in strategic long-term economic development investments;

(e) Identify opportunities to leverage new and existing sources of funding that may be available for infrastructure development, including public-private partnerships;

(f) Explore efficient ways to obtain and store new and existing data necessary to create digital cross-system infrastructure maps to be created and used by the new infrastructure authority to identify the state's long-term infrastructure needs and develop state priorities around these needs, particularly identifying areas in need of fiber infrastructure for broadband backhaul services;

(g) Consider any state and federal legal aspects of organizational and funding models; and data collection and use identified pursuant to this section, including consideration of how to structure the role of the state or any subdivision of the state in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution of the state of Washington and how to legally obtain and store data necessary for the mapping described in (f) of this subsection;

(h) Describe any legislation that may be necessary to implement the infrastructure authority and other recommendations; and

(i) Identify an initial list of potential performance-based infrastructure projects.

(3) Staff support for the committee must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.

(4) Legislative members of the committee are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.

(5) Expenses of the committee must be paid jointly by the senate and house of representatives. Committee expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor.

(6) The committee may contract with additional persons who have specific technical expertise if the expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of the study. The committee may enter into such contract only if an appropriation is provided specifically for this purpose.

(7) The committee, where appropriate, may consult with individuals from the public and private sector or ask individuals to establish an advisory committee. Members of such an advisory committee are not entitled to expense reimbursement.

(8) The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2019.

(9) This section expires January 1, 2020.

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