HOUSE BILL REPORT

E2SHB 537

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Schmidt, Zellinsky, Brough, Sayan, Schoon, Meyers, May, P. King and Pruitt)

Restructuring ferry advisory committees.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:     The second substitute be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass.  (26)

     Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Doty, Fisher, Fox, Gallagher, Haugen, Heavey, Jacobsen, Jones, Kremen, Meyers, Patrick, Prince, Schmidt, Sutherland, Todd, Vekich, J. Williams, K. Wilson, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Brad Lovaas (786-7307)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 8, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The 1961 Legislature created local Ferry Advisory Committees consisting of five members appointed to four-year terms by the legislative authority of each county served by the Washington State Ferry System.  Each Ferry Advisory Committee exists to represent the interests and concerns of persons in their area who are frequent users of the Ferry System.  Ferry Advisory Committee members serve without compensation or reimbursement for travel expenses incurred when attending meetings.

Current law provides for the legislative authority of Clallam, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish Counties to each appoint a five-member Committee to serve as an Advisory Committee to the Department.  At least one member of each Advisory Committee must be a representative of an established ferry user group, one representing ferry- dependent business, and one from a local governmental transportation planning body.  In addition, all members must be residents of the county upon whose Advisory Committee they sit, and not more than three members of any one Committee shall at the time of their appointment be members of the same major political party.

SUMMARY:

This bill changes the area from which most members of the Ferry Advisory Committees are picked.  The San Juan, Clallam and Jefferson Committees would still be picked from a countywide area.  The remaining Ferry Advisory Committee members would be picked by terminal area.  Vashon Island will have one Committee with its members appointed by the Vashon/Maury Island Community Council.

All members of the terminal-area Committees must live in the vicinity of the ferry terminal, and one member must be a representative of an established ferry user group or a frequent user of the Ferry System.

Not more than two of any three-member Committee shall be from the same political party.  In those counties with more than one terminal, the overall political balance shall be as nearly equal as possible.  Initially, all terms are staggered and are four-year terms thereafter.

The Chairperson of each Ferry Advisory Committee shall constitute a newly-created Executive Committee.  The Marine Division is mandated to meet with the Executive Committee twice a year to review Ferry System policies.

Effect of Senate Amendment(s):  Adds Skagit to those counties left under current statutory provisions.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Joann Young, Ferry Riders Coalition; Jim Sainsbury, Marine, Department of Transportation.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     The proposal allows for more direct representation of the ferry users.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Yeas 89; Nays 90

Voting Nay:     Representatives Anderson, Cole, Fisher, Heavey, Jacobson, Sommers H, Unsoeld, Valle, Vekich