AN ACT Relating to coordinating the scheduling of mowing and litter pickup along state highways; amending RCW 70A.200.170; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the scheduling of mowing and litter pickup along state highways should be coordinated to avoid mowing over roadside litter. The legislature finds that mowing over roadside litter spreads litter throughout larger areas of the environment, makes it more difficult to find and properly dispose of litter, and breaks down litter into smaller pieces that become a hazard to wildlife and eventually end up in the soil and water. The legislature determines that coordinating the scheduling of mowing and litter pickup along state highways is a basic step that will help improve Washington's environment.

(1) The department is the coordinating and administrative agency working with the departments of natural resources, revenue, transportation, and corrections, and the parks and recreation commission in developing a biennial budget request for funds for the various agencies' litter collection programs.

(2) Funds may be used to meet the needs of efficient and effective litter collection and illegal dumping programs identified by the various agencies. The department shall develop criteria for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the waste reduction, litter control, and recycling programs being administered by the various agencies listed in RCW 70A.200.140, and shall distribute funds according to the effectiveness and efficiency of those programs. In addition, the department shall approve funding requests for efficient and effective waste reduction, litter control, and recycling programs, provide funds, and monitor the results of all agency programs.

(4) The department shall contract with the department of transportation to schedule litter prevention messaging and coordination of litter emphasis patrols with the Washington state patrol. Additionally, the department of transportation may coordinate with the department to conduct litter pickup during scheduled maintenance closures as situations allow.

(5) To the greatest extent practicable, the department of transportation shall schedule mowing along state highways to occur after litter pickup has been performed in the area to be mowed. This subsection is not intended to prevent mowing or other similar maintenance activities from being undertaken in the event litter pickup has not been performed.