wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2306 > Substitute Bill

HB 2306 - Transportation budget, supp.

Source

Section 1

The legislature finds that this budget proposal reflects the ongoing challenges budget writers encounter in addressing the State of Washington's transportation system needs. Factors like ballooning project costs, bridge failures, and roads in disrepair put considerable pressure on transportation revenues that, despite recent tax increases, continue to trend downward. Resources attributed to the Climate Commitment Act are also expected to wane over time.

As the legislature awaits the results of mediation between the Attorney General's Office and Tribes in Washington State to implement the next phase of culvert restoration, the budget writers have determined that now is not the time for further bond authorizations, which may limit the ability of the legislature to address foreseen and not yet foreseen transportation needs.

Recognizing the necessity to invest more in the state's aging infrastructure, this budget proposal increases preservation and maintenance spending this biennium and provides an additional $500 million in the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium, demonstrating the legislative commitment to prioritizing preservation and maintenance now and in the future.

With respect to the state's ferry system, this budget proposal commits to ongoing efforts to construct new vessels and maintain existing levels of service. In lieu of funding three additional ferries in this budget, the budget writers propose a process through which the Joint Transportation Committee will make recommendations to address our ferry system needs, including options to fund those recommendations in the context of all the state's transportation system needs.

Section 101

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Section 102

FOR THE BOARD OF PILOTAGE COMMISSIONERS

Section 103

FOR THE ECONOMIC AND REVENUE FORECAST COUNCIL

Section 104

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Section 105

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

Section 201

FOR THE WASHINGTON TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION

Section 202

FOR THE COUNTY ROAD ADMINISTRATION BOARD

Section 203

FOR THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT BOARD

Section 204

FOR THE JOINT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

Section 205

FOR THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Section 206

FOR THE FREIGHT MOBILITY STRATEGIC INVESTMENT BOARD

Section 207

FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE PATROL

Section 208

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING

Section 209

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—TOLL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE—PROGRAM B

Section 210

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY—PROGRAM C

Section 211

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—FACILITY MAINTENANCE, OPERATIONS, AND CONSTRUCTION—PROGRAM D—OPERATING

Section 212

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—AVIATION—PROGRAM F

Section 213

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—PROGRAM DELIVERY MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT—PROGRAM H

Section 214

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS—PROGRAM K

Section 215

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE—PROGRAM M

Section 216

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS—PROGRAM Q—OPERATING

Section 217

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT—PROGRAM S

Section 218

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, DATA, AND RESEARCH—PROGRAM T

Section 219

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—CHARGES FROM OTHER AGENCIES—PROGRAM U

Section 220

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION—PROGRAM V

Section 221

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—MARINE—PROGRAM X

Section 222

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—RAIL—PROGRAM Y—OPERATING

Section 223

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—LOCAL PROGRAMS—PROGRAM Z—OPERATING

Section 301

FOR THE COUNTY ROAD ADMINISTRATION BOARD

Section 302

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—FACILITIES—PROGRAM D—(DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION-ONLY PROJECTS)—CAPITAL

Section 303

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—IMPROVEMENTS—PROGRAM I

Section 304

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—PRESERVATION—PROGRAM P

Section 305

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS—PROGRAM Q—CAPITAL

Section 306

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION—PROGRAM V—CAPITAL

Section 307

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES CONSTRUCTION—PROGRAM W

Section 308

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—RAIL—PROGRAM Y—CAPITAL

Section 309

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION—LOCAL PROGRAMS—PROGRAM Z—CAPITAL

Section 401

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—STATE REVENUES FOR DISTRIBUTION

Section 402

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—TRANSFERS

Section 403

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING—TRANSFERS

Section 404

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—BOND RETIREMENT AND INTEREST, AND ONGOING BOND REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER CHARGES: FOR BOND SALES DISCOUNTS AND DEBT TO BE PAID BY MOTOR VEHICLE ACCOUNT AND TRANSPORTATION FUND REVENUE

Section 405

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—BOND RETIREMENT AND INTEREST, AND ONGOING BOND REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER CHARGES: FOR DEBT TO BE PAID BY STATUTORILY PRESCRIBED REVENUE

Section 406

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—BOND RETIREMENT AND INTEREST, AND ONGOING BOND REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER CHARGES: FOR BOND SALE EXPENSES AND FISCAL AGENT CHARGES

Section 407

FOR THE STATE TREASURER—ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFERS

Section 601

MANAGEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT IN SESSION

Section 602

TRANSIT, BICYCLE, AND PEDESTRIAN ELEMENTS REPORTING

Section 603

LOCAL PARTNER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Section 701

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT

Section 702

  1. The board may create an emergency revolving loan program that is self-supporting in accordance with RCW 43.88.190. The board may award emergency loans to counties with a population of less than eight hundred thousand as of April 1, 2019, from the funds available in the county road administration board emergency loan account created in RCW 36.78.135 for emergency projects. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the board may award emergency loans to counties and cities that experienced flooding, landslides, and other infrastructure damage as a result of historically high rainfall levels in western Washington in December 2025, regardless of population size.

  2. Emergency projects are work of either a temporary or permanent nature which restores roads and bridges to a preemergency condition and may include reconstruction to current design standards. This work is the result of a sudden natural or man-made event which results in the destruction or severe damage to county roadway sections or structures such that, in the consideration of public safety and use, the roadway sections or structures must be immediately closed or substantially restricted to normal use. Work of an emergency nature is also beyond the scope of work done by a county in repairing damages normally or reasonably expected from seasonal or other natural conditions, and is beyond what would be considered maintenance.

  3. In order to obtain a loan under this section, there must be a county, state, or federal emergency proclamation declaring an emergency related to the event that caused the damage the emergency project intends to correct, and the county must agree to repay the loan with interest of not more than three percent. All repayment amounts must be deposited into the county road administration board emergency loan account.

  4. Any work performed on an emergency project funded in accordance with this section by county forces shall be exempt from the limits of RCW 36.77.065.

  5. Consistent with RCW 43.01.036, the board must submit a report to the legislature by December 1st of each even-numbered year identifying each project that received money from the county road administration board emergency loan account, the amount of the loan, the expected repayment terms of the loan, the expected date of repayment, and the loan repayment status. Each project should be reported about until the loan is repaid.

Section 703

The JUDY transportation future funding program account is created in the connecting Washington account established in chapter 44, Laws of 2015 3rd sp. sess. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account must be used only for preservation projects, to accelerate the schedule of connecting Washington projects identified in chapter 43, Laws of 2015 3rd sp. sess., for new connecting Washington projects, and for principal and interest on bonds authorized for the projects. It is the legislature's intent that moneys not be appropriated from the account until 2024 and that moneys in the account be expended in equal amounts between preservation and improvement projects. Moneys in the account may not be expended on the state route number 99 Alaskan Way viaduct replacement project. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys from the JUDY transportation future funding program account to the motor vehicle account.

Section 704

The move ahead WA flexible account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for transportation projects, programs, or activities identified as move ahead WA projects, programs, or activities in an omnibus transportation appropriations act. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys from the move ahead WA flexible account to the preserve Washington account created in chapter . . ., Laws of 2026 (HB 2711).

Section 801

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.

Section 802

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.

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