wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > SB 6302 > Original Bill
It is the intent of the legislature that the state of Washington, being the most trade dependent state in the nation, maintain and expand its abilities to compete in the global trade market and be a national leader in trade. The legislature finds it is imperative to maintain and expand critical and strategic infrastructure for the transport and movement of the overall supply chain of goods from point of entry, to unload and load processes, and to transport via ground and maritime facilities, to warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and final destinations. Strategic infrastructure investments targeted at increased capacity for the supply chain is crucial to the state's public welfare of sending and receiving crucial supplies, goods, and services.
The department of commerce, in collaboration with the department of transportation, Washington state public ports associations, individual ports, and other critical supply chain stakeholders, shall set priorities to ensure the successful and efficient operation of a supply chain competitiveness program to include grants and loans to public ports.
The supply chain infrastructure program account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the legislature, proceeds of bonds when authorized by the legislature, or any other lawful source must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be used only for the purposes set forth in section 4 of this act. Only the department of commerce may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
The department of commerce shall create a revolving loan program to fund projects for public port authorities that comply with the priorities identified through the stakeholder process in section 1 of this act and the project criteria in section 4 of this act.
The legislature intends that supply chain competitiveness grant funds will be appropriated to the department of commerce using existing transportation accounts.
In addition to the priorities identified through the stakeholder process in section 1 of this act, projects for the supply chain infrastructure program may be evaluated using the following criteria:
Development or maintenance of transportation infrastructure that ensures the successful and efficient operation of the supply chain to and from the state's public ports;
Economic, safety, or environmental advantages of efficient freight movement;
Sustaining the state's international trade economy;
Increased access to efficient and cost-effective transport to market for Washington's agricultural and industrial products;
Model integration and cooperation within the regional, national, and international systems of freight distribution; and
Mitigation of impacts of increased freight traffic on communities.
Supply chain infrastructure projects funded from the supply chain infrastructure program shall focus on enhancing supply chain competitiveness for public ports, and the capacity of ground and maritime transportation and facilities. The department of commerce shall govern and operate the grant and revolving loan program. Grants and loans may be used for costs incurred for public improvements including all aspects of ground, rail, and maritime to support supply chain infrastructure projects that may include, but are not limited to:
Design; planning; acquisition, including land acquisition; site preparation, including land clearing; construction; reconstruction; rehabilitation; improvement; and installation of public improvements;
Demolishing, relocating, maintaining, and operating property pending construction;
Relocating utilities;
Legal and other professional services; taxes; insurance; principal and interest costs on general indebtedness issued to finance public improvements; and any necessary reserves for general indebtedness;
Administrative expenses and feasibility studies reasonably necessary and related to costs;
Street, bridge, and road construction and maintenance, including:
Highway interchange construction;
Water and sewer system construction and improvements, including wastewater reuse facilities;
Sidewalks, traffic controls, and streetlights;
Parking, terminal, and dock facilities; and
Stormwater and drainage management systems;
Rail infrastructure to acquire, rebuild, rehabilitate, or improve rail lines;
Purchasing or rehabilitating railroad equipment necessary to maintain essential rail service;
Constructing railroad improvements to mitigate port access or mainline congestion;
Construction of loading facilities to increase business on light density lines or to mitigate the impacts of abandonment;
Preserving rail corridors for future rail purposes by purchase of rights-of-way;
Purchasing, rights-of-way, which may include tracks, bridges, and associated elements; and
Wharves, piers, bulkheads, dredging, shoreline armoring, acquisition, decks, dikes, breakwaters, cargo transport equipment, cranes, and cargo loaders.
Public ports are those authorized under chapter 53.04 RCW.
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury, and may be commingled with moneys in the state treasury for cash management and cash balance purposes.
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury, and may be commingled with moneys in the state treasury for cash management and cash balance purposes.
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury, and may be commingled with moneys in the state treasury for cash management and cash balance purposes.
(2) Section 8 of this act expires July 1, 2030.
(1) Section 8 of this act takes effect July 1, 2024.