[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6089745,"mediaKeyId","2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12","parentId",2871902,"title","Senate hears bill to raise reestablishment payment cap for businesses displaced by public projects","audioSeconds",771,"startMs",32940,"endMs",804720,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12&start=32&end=804","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12/thumbnail_32940.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6089745/Washington/Senate-hears-bill-to-raise-reestablishment-payment-cap-for-businesses-displaced-by-public-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089745-b04e0f253b76a49b9a4254c61af27aa9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807752&Signature=VgCsYz9ZspATguLDGKc-pn-CKMrYyMk1OTLqWflyF-Xkmwkmp5lh60t1NFbkk7Gj~xqyleO1tKBRVu6NDGfHyMEKQ4al8oNeRZP0hRX54KmQ9uJJ1Hgy9yvhRwoyAQDwVlGCMskj3RnN98~mYlDQzZLDtDnnvPQLlfNd3Vw-kKEK9cWtQwF5TyCUR8fut8cEAPr2K8JUJoQtkJYkeOsI11-aIgA0O0wRTNPqDHNNbd9T4gONKTMJni0DhFr7-PgA2OobYpQKfnjCTbeJhdwo4DW3LSz22RgxYzpOPez7tjjHhZYuAieVeNlZ6AQlZO-7jnI-oGuwXG1YvUvXn2E1Hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Transportation","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","Substitute House Bill 1733 would raise the statutory cap on reestablishment payments for displaced small businesses, farms and nonprofit organizations from $50,000 to $200,000 and require the Washington State Department of Transportation to adjust that cap annually for inflation.

Danny Masterson, committee staff, told the Senate Transportation Committee the state relocation assistance program reimburses displaced persons or entities for moving and related expenses when real property is acquired for a public purpose and that WSDOT is the lead agency that administers the program. \"This bill would increase that statutory cap on reestablishment payments from $50,000 to $200,000. It also requires that WSDOT adjust the cap for inflation annually,\" Masterson said.

The measure drew testimony from several small-business owners and nonprofit leaders who said planned Sound Transit work in West Seattle will displace operations and that current caps leave many organizations unable to relocate. Jordan Crowley, identifying himself as the owner of Alki Beach Academy, said, \"Raising the cap on reestablishment, expense compensation gives businesses like my families a fair chance of surviving this placement.\" Erin Rubin, founder and managing director of Mode Music and Performing Arts, said her nonprofit will be displaced by the Sound Transit West Seattle Link Extension and estimated a build-out cost \"close to 400,000 in building costs alone,\" adding rent increases could push total relocation costs \"closer to 600,000 or more.\" Keith Edwards, owner of The Joint Chiropractic in West Seattle, told the committee: \"The relocation estimates for my business is 500,000.\" Edwards also said his clinic sees about 1,000 patient visits a month.

Representative Brianna Thomas, the bill's prime sponsor, described the change as an update to a cap that \"hasn't gone up since 02/2003,\" and said the House added the annual inflation adjustment in committee to avoid repeating a decades-long gap.

On fiscal impacts, Masterson said the WSDOT fiscal note is indeterminate because future displacements are unknown but offered recent history: \"Over the last 5 years, there were an average of 7 entities per year that reached the current reestablishment payment cap of $50,000.\" He added a rough scenario in which seven entities per year received an average additional payment equal to half the increase would yield about $500,000 of additional payments per year, but he characterized that as a ballpark estimate with \"some big assumptions.\" The fiscal note also anticipates smaller one-time and ongoing workload impacts to WSDOT to implement the change.

Committee members asked staff about eligibility and calculation. Vice Chair Ramos confirmed that the bill does not change the types of expenses that can be reimbursed—only the statutory cap. Senator Gaynor raised a factual question about partial takings affecting farm viability and whether a farm rendered unprofitable by losing acreage could qualify for reestablishment payments; Masterson said he did not know the answer off the top of his head and would consult policy staff.

The committee held the public hearing; no vote on the bill was recorded during the session.

Why it matters: the bill would increase the maximum state-funded reestablishment payment available to small businesses, farms and nonprofits displaced by public projects and would require WSDOT to index the cap for inflation, potentially affecting project budgets where acquisitions occur.

The hearing record includes staff presentations, questions from senators, and three in-person business testimonies from organizations that said they expect displacement from the Sound Transit West Seattle Link Extension.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Transportation - 4/3/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Substitute House Bill 1733 would raise the statutory cap on reestablishment payments for displaced small businesses, farms and nonprofit organizations from $50,000 to $200,000 and require the Washington State Department of Transportation to adjust that cap annually for inflation.","taxTitle","Transportation, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20512,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089736,"Senate hears substitute on rebalancing fund transfers, accelerating tax repayments for transportation",887,2268320,3155420,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12&start=2268&end=3155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12/thumbnail_2268320.jpg","/articles/6089736/Washington/Senate-hears-substitute-on-rebalancing-fund-transfers-accelerating-tax-repayments-for-transportation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089736-34a1430109a7787f41b0d4fa19f5e738/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807752&Signature=WBwaDliEV-0Na4pN9SukLReoxWFIhm7TBtpD~Tv0oj-vKbREPGsIZvrzv4HXli7NOp0ldxJQD0UhtjiDe6B2yZAt71q8WffwE18oKzy-P5EeYejY79xMCZq19nxDqhQ6z6ksbdjY~3Kqv~MNKduybIB6gb-kNQ2rOyjaA~1l55slsiJKm2ysnv3BdyCbHMyfKRdq5AaJE0NqMOqFPW4DhTeI4MAe2z2rzZ~aluHXDxz~ojvW8buvl9LrNUyBojEVbKuNXY0jZOiW9XOTd7DpVzXaYAXw0dCxddhRSbaJQQSfalw~Y~~NVPKNphhNXiwM7I2rMwdcAnGinoUzahHXyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Proposed substitute Senate Bill 5,802 would cancel several statutorily scheduled transfers into transportation accounts, accelerate repayment of sales-and-use-tax deferrals for major construction projects, and dedicate 0.3 percentage points of the state sales tax (of the state’s 6.5 percent) to the multimodal account beginning July 1, 2027.

Brian Moore, committee staff, gave a detailed table of cancellations and offsets. He said the bill would cancel Connecting Washington transfers that were part of the larger 16-year funding plan (a total assumption of roughly $518 million) and would cancel Move Ahead Washington assumptions (roughly $855 million in assumed transfers). Moore told the committee the cancellation of transfers for the current biennium represents about $112 million. He said the bill would also accelerate repayment of sales-and-use-tax deferrals—repayments that under current law were scheduled to begin in future biennia—so repayment begins immediately and is to be completed in fiscal year 2026. Moore noted roughly two-thirds of sales-and-use-tax deferral repayments flow to the state general fund, with the remainder affecting local governments.

To offset near-term effects on transportation funding, the substitute dedicates 0.3 percent of the state sales tax to the multimodal account starting July 1, 2027; Moore estimated that dedication would generate about $840 million per year initially (staff caveated that out-year projections rely on forecast assumptions).

The bill sponsor told the committee the substitute is part of a comprehensive operating, capital and transportation package that aims to provide short-term general-fund reserve support and longer-term transportation sustainability; the sponsor said advancing repayment of deferred sales tax and reversing scheduled transfers provides roughly $500 million in operating support in the near term.

Senators asked technical questions. Senator Fortunato confirmed with staff that the existing rental-car tax rate that already supports multimodal accounts was unchanged. Senator McEwen asked whether the Department of Licensing or another agency has previously discontinued low-performing special license plates; staff said current law allows the Department of Licensing to recommend discontinuance but, as far as staff understands, that authority has not been exercised.

Andrew Villeneuve of the Northwest Progressive Institute testified in respectful opposition, urging fiscal restraint and objecting to reallocating future sales-tax dollars that currently flow to the general fund (which funds K–12 and higher education). Villeneuve said the committee should not \"siphon sales tax dollars\" away from education and core services and urged alternate plans to fund transportation.

Brian Moore said staff would be glad to answer further technical questions; the committee held the public hearing and did not record a committee vote during the session.

Why it matters: the substitute would materially alter the timing and source of funds available for transportation and the state general fund, accelerate repayment obligations for deferred taxes tied to major projects, and dedicate a recurring slice of sales tax to multimodal transportation beginning in fiscal year 2028.","Proposed substitute Senate Bill 5,802 would cancel several scheduled transfers into transportation accounts, accelerate repayment of sales-and-use-tax deferrals and dedicate 0.3 percentage points of the state sales tax to the multimodal account beginning July 1, 2027.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089741,"Committee hears proposed substitute for up to 12 special license plates and oversight work group",1458,827420,2285995,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12&start=827&end=2285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2871902-e6854ff641d99e6e37664de70974ca12/thumbnail_827420.jpg","/articles/6089741/Washington/Committee-hears-proposed-substitute-for-up-to-12-special-license-plates-and-oversight-work-group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089741-0ae967130027ee988d536ecf44f7ac34/orig.mp4?Expires=1770807752&Signature=GLtr2uyVP4d4~CauJYt-tUnGxmTvSyodFz7voz28EVvfNzXGuDG9AfBXbVzciy4K5hTaiDOtiG5MG48mGIFRnXnKO~7X-u55ZCFfCeBFMnmStNAvuE8Hw4qfw~~90-~hyDHJpy06aqa0~TBbGDuYJbNlqL3YzwOP-K-f8JrmKpM8z3KiRTcyiKmagKIkyG3Tqrf25NOqvmwJ9zQuWvDgjXW2C45jkZAZZdDf3u9W0~TO5pMlQpPz-qrdrhGyC78V2mj-JNLavUr4M8uNnRhJz3ULSRS8-xp4yLDayD5o9QpX5h8BgzIrWYq5EXCMmRdq7iZgpM7bHE6aoZBHnlotgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A proposed substitute to Senate Bill 5,444 would authorize up to 12 new special license plates, require sponsoring organizations to submit 3,500 signatures before a plate is implemented, phase plate launches across 2025–27, change proceeds distributions for some existing plates, raise certain personalized-plate fees and create a multi-year Department of Licensing work group to review oversight and application rules.

Brian Moore, committee staff, told the Senate Transportation Committee the proposed substitute authorizes up to 12 plates and requires sponsoring organizations to collect 3,500 signatures. \"Five of those license plates have already done so, and so what the bill contemplates is that those five special license plates would begin implementation, beginning 11/01/2025,\" Moore said. The next seven plates would have until Oct. 1, 2026, to submit signatures to begin implementation Nov. 1, 2026; plates that miss that deadline could try again by Oct. 1, 2027, with implementation beginning Nov. 1, 2027.

Moore also described changes to proceeds distribution requested by two existing plates, with Seattle Sounders and Seattle Seahawks proceeds proposed to flow to their charitable organizations and the Washington State Leadership Board. The substitute would increase the personalized-plate renewal fee from $42 to $52 (making initial and renewal the same), with an estimated effect of roughly $800,000 per year deposited to Fish and Wildlife-managed accounts.

The bill requires the Department of Licensing to convene a work group by Oct. 1, 2025, staffed with special-plate stakeholders and directed to study issues including increased signature and application requirements, methods to discontinue low-performing plates, and stronger oversight by the Joint Transportation Committee. The work group would provide a preliminary report to the Joint Transportation Committee by Nov. 15, 2027, and a final report and potential draft legislation by Jan. 1, 2028. Moore said implementation costs historically run about $30,000 per new plate and estimated about $250,000 for the work group.

Senator Lynda Cortez, the prime sponsor, said she combined several separate plate proposals into a single vehicle to create a process that would move future plate decisions out of ad hoc legislative action and into a more standardized application and oversight process.

Multiple organizations and sponsors testified in favor. Pat Sullivan, director for governmental and external affairs at the Department of Natural Resources, said the proposed substitute would raise funds for wildfire prevention programs and awareness; \"this is important not only because it raises funds for wildfire prevention programs, but it really does raise awareness, for preventing wildfires,\" he said. David Madera, CEO of LeMay — America’s Car Museum, said proceeds would support STEAM programs and a planned regional robotics center with Tacoma Public Schools. Alisa Hoyt of the Mount Saint Helens Institute said her group has collected over 4,000 signatures supporting a Mount St. Helens plate and that proceeds would support outdoor school, youth education and stewardship work.

Kate Van Gent, vice president of the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association, said her nonprofit collected the required signatures for a pickleball plate and described broad community interest. John Henrickson, a small forest landowner, testified in support of a working-forest plate and described long involvement in voluntary certification programs.

Committee members asked about plates that would send proceeds directly to the state rather than a sponsoring nonprofit. Senator Chapman noted a plate that would dedicate revenue to the state and questioned whether the 3,500-signature requirement was appropriate for a plate that would not have an obvious sponsoring constituency; she suggested she might offer an amendment.

The committee held a public hearing; no committee vote was recorded during this session.

Why it matters: the substitute would expand the set of specialty plates available to Washington drivers while creating a formal, multi-year review process intended to increase oversight, tighten application requirements and create mechanisms to remove low-performing plates.","A proposed substitute to Senate Bill 5,444 would authorize up to 12 new special license plates, require sponsoring organizations to submit 3,500 signatures before a plate is implemented, phase launches across 2025–27, and create a Department of Licensing work group to study oversight and discontinuation metrics.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate hears bill to raise reestablishment payment cap for businesses displaced by public projects

Senate hears substitute on rebalancing fund transfers, accelerating tax repayments for transportation

Committee hears proposed substitute for up to 12 special license plates and oversight work group