Bill #

TITLE

STATUS

SPONSOR

BILL INFORMATION

PRIORITY& POSITION

HB 1094

Trans budget 2007-09

Governor Signed

Clibborn

See separate handout for details on the budget.

Medium/Support

SHB 1097

Vulnerable adults

Bill is now law:

C 20 L 07

Miloscia

Governor Signed. An individual commits rape in the second degree if he or she: (1) has sexual intercourse with a frail elder, a vulnerable adult, or a person with a developmental disability; and (2) was providing transportation, within the course of his or her employment, to the victim at the time of the offense. An individual commits indecent liberties if he or she: (1) has sexual contact with a frail elder, a

vulnerable adult, or a person with a developmental disability; and (2) was providing transportation, within the course of his or her employment, to the victim at the time of the offense.

Low/Monitor

EHB 1214

Text messaging while driving

Bill is now law:

C 416 L 07

McDonald

Any person operating a moving motor vehicle who, by means of an electronic wireless communications device, sends, reads, or writes a text message is guilty of a traffic infraction. The prohibition against operating a moving motor vehicle while sending, reading, or writing a text message does not apply to: 1. a person operating an authorized emergency vehicle; 2. a person using a hand-held wireless communications device to report illegal activity, summon medical or emergency assistance, or prevent injury to a person or property; 3. the relay of information between a transit or for-hire operator and that operator's dispatcher using a device that is permanently affixed to the vehicle. Enforcement of the act is limited so that it can only be enforced as a secondary action and violations of the act cannot become part of the driver's driving record.

Medium/Monitor

SHB 1267

Commercial driver's license

Bill is now law:

C 418 L 07

Wallace

The fee charged by the DOL for a skills examination for a commercial motor vehicle license is increased from $50 to $100. A person seeking a commercial driver's license must have successfully completed a course of instruction in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle that has been approved by the DOL or be certified by an employer as having the skills and training necessary to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. The DOL may waive the requirement for instruction in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle for an applicant that has been issued a valid commercial driver's license in another state and is transferring to Washington.

Low/Monitor

E2SHB 1303

Cleaner energy

Bill is now law:

C 348 L 07

Dickerson

See separate handout for details on the bill.

Medium/Monitor

SHB 1312

Transportation providers

Bill is now law:

C 234 L 07

Hudgins

Amends various statutes related to the Utilities and Transportation Commission's regulation obligations to reflect federal preemption and deregulation. Repeals obsolete provisions and updates statutory language to reflect modern terminology and usage.

Low/Monitor

ESHB 1368

Special purpose districts

Governor Signed

Simpson

Increases various special purpose district commissioners' per diem compensation. Requires the Office of Financial Management to adjust the established dollar thresholds for per diem compensation every five years according to the consumer price index. Prohibits a special purpose district commissioner from collecting per diem compensation for more than one district while attending meetings or conducting business on behalf of more than one district. This bill only impacts PTBA’s and increases the current per diem from $70 to $90/day.

Low/Monitor

SHB 1396

Trans ballot proposition

Governor Signed

Flannigan

Requires Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Investment District

(RTID) to submit to regional voters their respective transit and highway

improvement plans in the form of a single ballot measure, rather than as two separate ballot measures. Maintains the current requirement by requiring support of the single measure by both a majority of Sound Transit voters and a majority of RTID voters. Provides an expedited review process for any constitutional challenges to the single ballot measure.

Low/Support

SHB 1445

Public records act

Bill is now law:

C 197 L 07

Kessler

Agency, person, public record, state office, and writing are defined. The statement of statutory intent is amended to state that in the event of a conflict between the provisions of the Public Records Act (PRA) and any other act, the provisions of the PRA must govern. Reorganizes some existing exemptions.

Low/Monitor

SHB 1694

Coordinated transportation

Bill is now law:

C 421 L 07

Flannigan

See separate handout for details on the bill.

Medium/Support

HB 1747

Regional transit authorities

Bill is now law:

C 166 L 07

Simpson

ST is permitted to continue obtaining owner-controlled insurance for construction projects that cost over $100 million. The expiration date of 12/31/06, on an RTA's authority to obtain such insurance is removed and no new expiration date is imposed.

Low/Support

ESHB 1858

Transportation benefit dist

Bill is now law:

C 329 L 07

Fromhold

Transportation benefit districts (TBDs)  may now impose up to $20.00 in vehicle fees without voter approval, if the fees are approved by a majority of the TBD Board. Prohibits TBDs from imposing impact fees on residential development, with or without voter approval. Provides that the vehicle fee may be used for passenger-only ferry transportation improvements only if the fee is approved by a majority of the voters in the district's boundaries. TBD statute allows for revenue to be spent on transit operations and capital.

Low/Monitor

HB 2101

Regional Transportation

Bill died – issue will likely return in 2008.

Jarrett

Creates a JTC task force directed to consider a variety of regional transportation decision-making issues and to report back to the Legislature & Governor by Jan. 1, 2008 with recommendations & draft legislation that supports the recommendation made by the Blue Ribbon Commission & RTC. The task force is comprised of legislators, the Governor (or her designee), and the county executives from all four counties. The task force is permitted to consult with the PSRC, local & regional transit agencies, and local governments. The task force must provide direction regarding the reorganization of the WSDOT's administrative regions in the area such that only one region is dedicated to supporting the central Puget Sound region. No gatekeeper provision. 

High/

SHB 2216

Public Trans governing body

Bill died

Appleton

Bill added a (non-voting) representative of labor to PTBA and County Transportation Boards. Bill will likely be back in 2008.

High/Concern

ESSB 5037

Cell phone use while driving

Bill is now law:

C 417 L 07

Eide

See the separate handout.

Medium/Concerns

SSB 5089

Streamlined sales & use tax

Bill is now law:

C 6 L 07

Regala

Bill will allow the state to conform fully to the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement including changing the sourcing of sales tax. Provides for full mitigation to affected jurisdictions.

High/Support

SB 5304

Special fuel taxes

Bill died

Eide

Allows Sound Transit (RTA) to be exempted from the fuel tax.  Corrects a DOR ruling.

High/Support

SSB 5340

Definition of disability

Bill is now law:

C 317 L 07

Kline

"Disability" is defined as a sensory, mental, or physical impairment that is medically cognizable or diagnosable, or exists as a record or history, or is perceived to exist, whether or not it actually exists. The "disability" exists whether it is temporary or permanent, mitigated or unmitigated, or whether it limits the ability to work or engage in any other activity encompassed within the

WLAD. "Impairment" includes a physiological disorder, cosmetic disfigurement, anatomical loss affecting one or more of several specified body systems, and mental, developmental, traumatic, or psychological disorders. The provisions of the bill correct the previous law and are retroactive. It is added that for purposes of qualifying for reasonable accommodation in employment, an impairment must either have: (1) a substantially limiting effect upon the individual's ability to perform his or her job, to apply or be considered for a job, or to access equal benefits, privileges, or terms of employment; or (2) the reasonable likelihood that job-related factors will aggravate the impairment to the extent that it could create a substantially limiting effect if not accommodated. A limitation is substantial if it has more than a trivial effect.

High/

SSB 5412

Transportation agencies

Governor Signed

Murray

The state's policy goals for the planning, operation, performance of, and investment in, the state's transportation system are streamlined to include the following five goals: Preservation, Safety, Mobility, Environment, and Stewardship. The revised policy goals are intended to be the basis for establishing detailed and measurable objectives and related performance measures. OFM will establish objectives and performance measures for state transportation agencies to assure that transportation system performance attains the five policy goals established in statute. To support achievement of the policy goals

the department shall (among a list of seven items): Develop strategies to gradually reduce the per capita vehicle miles traveled based on consideration of a range of reduction methods; Consider efficiency tools, including high-occupancy vehicle and high-occupancy toll lanes, corridor-specific and systemwide pricing strategies, active traffic management, commute trip reduction, and other demand management tools; Promote integrated multimodal planning; and Consider engineers and architects to design environmentally sustainable, context-sensitive transportation systems. The bill also removes the monorail statutes from law.

Low/Support

E2SSB 5659

Family and medical leave insurance

Bill is now law:

C 357 L 07

Keiser

See separate handout for details on the bill.

ESSB 5803

Regional transportation commission

Bill Died – issue will likely return in 2008.

Murray

This version passed the Senate 33-14. RTC must be created in King, Pierce, Snohomish & Kitsap. 12 Member RTC governing body: 8 elected, and 4 appointed by County Executives.  Single definition of "mobility project of regional significance", that includes both roads & transit projects & services. Regional mobility investment plan (project list) must be a comprehensive and integrated corridor-based multimodal package. RTC planning authority expanded to include conducting comprehensive and integrated corridor-based multimodal transportation planning and prioritizing activities. Includes coordinating & integrating transportation & land use planning, including concurrency requirements. Requires RTC to establish an incentives-based process of negotiating cooperative relationships with local jurisdictions within RTC area. Prohibits RTC from directly controlling a local jurisdiction's locally imposed funds, unless negotiated otherwise. Requires RTC, WSDOT Urban Corridors Office, & local planning offices to negotiate a process that ensures the agencies are planning for a comprehensive and integrated corridor-based multimodal regional transportation system. Allows RTC to own, operate, construct, or maintain projects, if negotiated and agreed upon by applicable parties. Studies consolidation of public transit agencies.

High/Oppose

E2SSB 5862

Passenger-only ferry service

Bill is now law:

C 223 L 07

Kilmer

Fuel purchased by a PTBA or a County Ferry for POF services is exempt from the state sales and use tax. Language directing WSDOT to give priority in the ferry grant program to continuing existing POF routes if grant funding is used as matching funds is removed. WSF is directed to make available for sale the POF vessels, Chinook and Snohomish, by June 1, 2007. The deadline for submitting a business plan to the Governor and the Legislature is extended from 11/106, to 11/1/07. The business plan must include beginning operations on the route by 7/1/08, and may not include operations by state employees or agencies. The deadline for a PTBA seeking grant funding for a Kingston/Seattle POF route to submit a business plan to the Governor and Legislature is extended to 11/1/07.

Low/Support