Except as otherwise provided in this act, it is the intent of the legislature that the funding levels specified in LEAP Transportation Document 2022-B as developed February 20, 2022, represents a commitment to provide move ahead WA-related appropriations to the agencies, programs, and activities, at the amounts identified therein, through fiscal year 2038.
This section modifies existing section 47.01.071. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The transportation commission shall have the following functions, powers, and duties:
To propose policies to be adopted by the governor and the legislature designed to assure the development and maintenance of a comprehensive and balanced statewide transportation system which will meet the needs of the people of this state for safe and efficient transportation services. Wherever appropriate, the policies shall provide for the use of integrated, intermodal transportation systems. The policies must be aligned with the goals established in RCW 47.04.280. To this end the commission shall:
Develop transportation policies which are based on the policies, goals, and objectives expressed and inherent in existing state laws;
Inventory the adopted policies, goals, and objectives of the local and area-wide governmental bodies of the state and define the role of the state, regional, and local governments in determining transportation policies, in transportation planning, and in implementing the state transportation plan;
Establish a procedure for review and revision of the state transportation policy and for submission of proposed changes to the governor and the legislature; and
Integrate the statewide transportation plan with the needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities, and coordinate federal and state programs directed at assisting local governments to answer such needs;
To provide for the effective coordination of state transportation planning with national transportation policy, state and local land use policies, and local and regional transportation plans and programs;
In conjunction with the provisions under RCW 47.01.075, to provide for public involvement in transportation designed to elicit the public's views both with respect to adequate transportation services and appropriate means of minimizing adverse social, economic, environmental, and energy impact of transportation programs;
By December 2010, to prepare a comprehensive and balanced statewide transportation plan consistent with the state's growth management goals and based on the transportation policy goals provided under RCW 47.04.280 and applicable state and federal laws. The plan must reflect the priorities of government developed by the office of financial management and address regional needs, including multimodal transportation planning. The plan must, at a minimum: (a) Establish a vision for the development of the statewide transportation system; (b) identify significant statewide transportation policy issues; and (c) recommend statewide transportation policies and strategies to the legislature to fulfill the requirements of subsection (1) of this section. The plan must be the product of an ongoing process that involves representatives of significant transportation interests and the general public from across the state. Every four years, except during the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, the plan shall be reviewed and revised, and submitted to the governor and the house of representatives and senate standing committees on transportation.
The plan shall take into account federal law and regulations relating to the planning, construction, and operation of transportation facilities;
To propose to the governor and the legislature prior to the convening of each regular session held in an odd-numbered year a recommended budget for the operations of the commission as required by RCW 47.01.061;
To adopt such rules as may be necessary to carry out reasonably and properly those functions expressly vested in the commission by statute;
To contract with the office of financial management or other appropriate state agencies for administrative support, accounting services, computer services, and other support services necessary to carry out its other statutory duties;
To conduct transportation-related studies and policy analysis to the extent directed by the legislature or governor in the biennial transportation budget act, or as otherwise provided in law, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose; and
To exercise such other specific powers and duties as may be vested in the transportation commission by this or any other provision of law.
This section modifies existing section 46.01.385. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The agency financial transaction account is created in the state treasury. Receipts directed by law to the account from cost recovery charges for credit card and other financial transaction fees must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for paying credit card and financial transaction fees, and other related costs incurred by state agencies. During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, expenditures from the account may also be used for additional information technology costs related to supporting the department of licensing operations and addressing its staffing shortages.
This section modifies existing section 47.01.505. Here is the modified chapter for context.
On behalf of the state, the legislature of the state of Washington invites the legislature of the state of Oregon to participate in a joint legislative action committee regarding the construction of a new Interstate 5 bridge spanning the Columbia river that achieves the following purposes:
Works with both states' departments of transportation and transportation commissions and stakeholders to begin a process toward project development. It is assumed that the appropriate local and bistate entities already tasked with related work will also be included when the legislative and interagency agreements are ready to move forward. The legislative action committee must convene its first meeting by December 15, 2017;
Reviews and confirms lead roles related to permitting, construction, operation, and maintenance of a future Interstate 5 bridge project;
Establishes a process to seek public comment on the Interstate 5 bridge project development plan selected and presents final recommendations for the process and financing to both states;
Works to ensure that there are sufficient resources available to both states' departments of transportation to inventory and utilize existing data and any prior relevant work to allow for nonduplicative and efficient decision making regarding a new project;
Examines all of the potential mass transit options available for a future Interstate 5 bridge project;
Utilizes design-build procurement, or an equivalent or better innovation delivery method, and determines the least costly, most efficient project management and best practices tools consistent with work already completed including, but not limited to, height, navigation needs, transparency, economic development, and other critical elements, while minimizing the impacts of congestion during construction;
Considers the creation of a Columbia river bridge authority to review bridge needs for possible repair, maintenance, or new construction, prioritizing those needs and making recommendations to both states with regard to financing specific projects, timing, authorities, and operations; and
Provides a report to the legislatures of each state that details the findings and recommendations of the legislative action committee by December 15, 2018. The report must also contain a recommendation as to whether the Interstate 5 project should be designated by the legislature of the state of Washington as a project of statewide significance and by the state of Oregon with an equivalent designation.
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The joint Oregon-Washington legislative action committee is established, with sixteen members as provided in this subsection:
The speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives of each state shall jointly appoint four members, two from each of the two largest caucuses of their state's house of representatives.
The majority leader and minority leader of the senate of each state shall jointly appoint four members, two from each of the two largest caucuses of their state's senate.
The legislative action committee shall choose its cochairs from among its membership, one each from the senate and the house of representatives of both states.
Executive agencies, including the departments of transportation and the transportation commissions, shall cooperate with the committee and provide information and other assistance as the cochairs may reasonably request.
Staff support for the legislative action committee must be provided by the Washington house of representatives office of program research, Washington senate committee services, and, contingent upon the acceptance by the legislature of the state of Oregon of the invitation in subsection (1) of this section to participate in the legislative action committee, the Oregon legislative policy and research office.
Legislative members of the legislative action committee are reimbursed for travel expenses. For Washington legislative members, this reimbursement must be in accordance with RCW 44.04.120.
The expenses of the legislative action committee must be paid jointly by both states' senate and house of representatives. In Washington, committee expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
Each meeting of the legislative action committee must allow an opportunity for public comment. Legislative action committee meetings must be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the requirements of both the senate and the house of representatives of both states.
The Washington members of the joint Oregon-Washington legislative action committee shall report back to the Washington state legislature, by August 1, 2022, regarding the progress of the committee and its work to advance the project to build a new Interstate 5 bridge spanning the Columbia river. The report must include a description of the locally preferred alternative ultimately identified as part of the interstate bridge replacement project.
This section modifies existing section 70A.205.415. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The waste tire removal account is created in the state treasury. Expenditures from the account may be used for the cleanup of unauthorized waste tire piles, measures that prevent future accumulation of unauthorized waste tire piles, and road wear related maintenance on state and local public highways. During the 2007-2009 fiscal biennium, the legislature may transfer from the waste tire removal account to the motor vehicle fund such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance of the waste tire removal account. During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, appropriations from the waste tire removal account may be made for the department of transportation to address the risks to safety and public health associated with homeless encampments on department owned rights-of-way.
This section modifies existing section 81.104.160. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Regional transit authorities that include a county with a population of more than 1,500,000 may submit an authorizing proposition to the voters, and if approved, may levy and collect an excise tax, at a rate approved by the voters, but not exceeding eight-tenths of one percent on the value, under chapter 82.44 RCW, of every motor vehicle owned by a resident of the taxing district, solely for the purpose of providing high capacity transportation service. The maximum tax rate under this subsection does not include a motor vehicle excise tax approved before July 15, 2015, if the tax will terminate on the date bond debt to which the tax is pledged is repaid. This tax does not apply to vehicles licensed under RCW 46.16A.455 except vehicles with an unladen weight of 6,000 pounds or less, RCW 46.16A.425 or 46.17.335(2). Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection or chapter 82.44 RCW, a motor vehicle excise tax imposed by a regional transit authority before or after July 15, 2015, must comply with chapter 82.44 RCW as it existed on January 1, 1996, until December 31st of the year in which the regional transit authority repays bond debt to which a motor vehicle excise tax was pledged before July 15, 2015. Motor vehicle taxes collected by regional transit authorities after December 31st of the year in which a regional transit authority repays bond debt to which a motor vehicle excise tax was pledged before July 15, 2015, must comply with chapter 82.44 RCW as it existed on the date the tax was approved by voters.
An agency and high capacity transportation corridor area may impose a sales and use tax solely for the purpose of providing high capacity transportation service, in addition to the tax authorized by RCW 82.14.030, upon retail car rentals within the applicable jurisdiction that are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW. The rate of tax may not exceed 2.172 percent. The rate of tax imposed under this subsection must bear the same ratio of the 2.172 percent authorized that the rate imposed under subsection (1) of this section bears to the rate authorized under subsection (1) of this section. The base of the tax is the selling price in the case of a sales tax or the rental value of the vehicle used in the case of a use tax.
Any motor vehicle excise tax previously imposed under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall be repealed, terminated, and expire on December 5, 2002, except for a motor vehicle excise tax for which revenues have been contractually pledged to repay a bonded debt issued before December 5, 2002, as determined by , 159 Wn.2d 16, 148 P.3d 1002 (2006). In the case of bonds that were previously issued, the motor vehicle excise tax must comply with chapter 82.44 RCW as it existed on January 1, 1996.
If a regional transit authority imposes the tax authorized under subsection (1) of this section, the authority may not receive any state grant funds provided in an omnibus transportation appropriations act except transit coordination grants created in chapter 11, Laws of 2015 3rd sp. sess. However, for the 2023-2025 grant solicitation process, occurring during the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, a regional transit authority is eligible for regional mobility grants but only for project proposals supporting bus service and operations.
This section modifies existing section 82.44.200. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The electric vehicle account is created in the transportation infrastructure account. Proceeds from the principal and interest payments made on loans from the account must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes specified in RCW 47.04.350, 82.08.9999, and 82.12.9999, and the support of other transportation electrification and alternative fuel related purposes, including RCW 47.01.520. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys in the electric vehicle account to the move ahead WA flexible account.
If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.