SENATE BILL REPORT
SSB 5403
As Passed Senate, March 9, 2021
Title: An act relating to the interagency, multijurisdictional system improvement team.
Brief Description: Concerning the interagency, multijurisdictional system improvement team.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on State Government & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Wellman, Warnick, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Lovelett, Mullet, Salda?a and Wilson, C.).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State Government & Elections: 2/10/21, 2/12/21 [DPS].
Floor Activity: Passed Senate: 3/9/21, 49-0.
Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill
  • Extends the expiration of the Interagency, Multijurisdictional System Improvement Team.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & ELECTIONS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5403 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Hunt, Chair; Kuderer, Vice Chair; Wilson, J., Ranking Member; Hasegawa and Hawkins.
Staff: Melissa Van Gorkom (786-7491)
Background:

System Improvement Team.  In 2017, the Legislature established an Interagency, Multijurisdictional System Improvement Team (Team) until June 30, 2021.  The membership of the Team includes representatives from state infrastructure programs and other entities including the associations representing cities, counties, public utility districts, water and sewer districts, general contractors, and building trades.  The Team is tasked with identifying, implementing, and reporting on system improvements, including:

  • projects that maximize value, minimize overall costs and disturbance to the community, and ensure long-term durability and resilience;
  • projects designed to meet the unique needs of each community, rather than the needs of particular funding programs;
  • project designs that maximize long-term value by fully considering and responding to anticipated long-term environmental, technological, economic and population changes;
  • the flexibility to innovate, including using natural systems, addressing multiple regulatory drivers, and forming regional partnerships;
  • the ability to plan and collaborate across programs and jurisdictions so different investments are packaged to be complementary, timely, and responsive to economic and community opportunities;
  • the needed capacity for communities, appropriate to their unique financial, planning, and management capacities, so they can design, finance, and build projects that best meet their long-term needs and minimize costs;
  • optimal use and leveraging of federal and private infrastructure dollars; and
  • mechanisms to ensure periodic, system-wide review and ongoing achievement of the designated outcomes.

 
The public works board, a representative from the Department of Ecology, Department of Health, and Department of Commerce shall facilitate the work of the Team.
 
The Team must provide briefings as requested to the public works board on the current state of infrastructure programs to build an understanding of the infrastructure investment program landscape and the interplay of its component parts.
 
Public Works Board.  The Public Works Board (Board) is staffed by the Department of Commerce and includes the following 13 voting members:  two elected officials and one public works manager representing cities; two elected officials and one public works manager representing counties; three members representing public utility and water-sewer districts; and four members representing the general public.  The Board administers the public works assistance account to provide loans and grants and to give financial guarantees to local governments for public works projects and help local governments improve their ability to plan for, finance, acquire, construct, repair, replace, rehabilitate, and maintain public facilities.
Summary of First Substitute Bill:

The expiration of the Team is extended, allowing it to continue identifying, implementing, and reporting on system improvements until June 30, 2025.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill:

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard.  PRO:  Worked on the legislation to develop the team, which we renamed Sync, that is a government collaboration with the Public Works Board, Transportation Improvement Board and state agencies to provide peer to peer coordination.   Under the statute the team convenes regularly to compare and improve the infrastructure funding mechanisms of the state and get money out the door to more people in an efficient and user friendly manner.  This group has found so much value in coordinated resources, tech support, advocate for customer assistance programs, explore regional solutions and the impact of COVID-19 on infrastructure systems.  Sync has community and tax payer benefits by providing uniformity across projects and allowing coordination among projects to help prioritize funding to provide the best benefit to the tax payers.  Given its value, Sync seeks to endure beyond its sunset into perpetuity.  Extending sync does not have a fiscal impact. 
Persons Testifying: PRO: Scott Hutsell, Lincoln County Commissioner; Ashley Probart, Transportation Improvement Board; Buck Lucas, Public Works Board.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.