HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5555

BYSenators Patterson, Hansen, Madsen and Benitz; by request of Utilities and Transportation Commission

Modifying railroad crossing inspection fees.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (23)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair, Eastern Washington; R. Meyers, Vice Chair, Western Washington; Schmidt, Ranking Republican Member; Wood, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bennett, Betrozoff, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, G. Fisher, Forner, Hankins, Heavey, Jones, Nelson, Prentice, Smith, D. Sommers, Todd, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Mary McLaughlin (786-7309)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION FEBRUARY 15, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Utilities and Transportation Commission is charged with inspecting industrial railroad crossings in the state.  The maximum fee for these inspections was statutorily set in 1961 at $10 per inspection.

The Utilities and Transportation Commission estimates that the cost of providing the inspection of roughly 200 industrial railroad crossings in the state has risen to approximately $25 per inspection.

SUMMARY:

The maximum $10 inspection fee for industrial grade crossing inspections is changed to an amount to be set by the Utilities and Transportation Commission.  That exact fee is to be based on the cost of rendering those inspection services.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Raymond Day, Utilities & Transportation Commission.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Because of inflation, an increase in the inspection fee is needed to cover the cost of private railroad crossing inspections.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.