[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6265822,"mediaKeyId","3088578-eaa7286b754919054ff1fd2f7a5d5f3b","parentId",3088578,"title","Striking amendment to ESSB 5801 would raise $3.2 billion, change taxes and tolling, and add transit and ferry provisions; committee hears wide public reaction","audioSeconds",3215,"startMs",869000,"endMs",4084000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088578-eaa7286b754919054ff1fd2f7a5d5f3b&start=869&end=4084","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088578-eaa7286b754919054ff1fd2f7a5d5f3b/thumbnail_869000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265822/Washington/Striking-amendment-to-ESSB-5801-would-raise-32-billion-change-taxes-and-tolling-and-add-transit-and-ferry-provisions-committee-hears-wide-public-reaction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265822-5dc16f58b0eff5c88af28a4c8ccd6da4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770651754&Signature=cIZEqqkNSLthP~unkv~hIQVoz11wKSEmxPUuZjbuOAsJ-C07ou5OHgEBGt6i-C2DN0qhuL6~aj7MM7FvETbtSnDFrpKncL006EP6euTKPpmjDYKDXg2FHo2Jcs610XArXRTRfxRJ5KsSBLZ4e0Q9OBS0miG5fTjy7ioE73PCcTgaY-3fcPVab6JzbfJLj1pstDPMWJWXxDymO8-srfbhqhKAfXSE67Ag4uuYu1Jyblo9OGqCCwOwsrz50AhRRl97glSeSfU78Q~gS8cnoCVcwo8-zb9oGcY4~o6urQ9ES3U3GkSMUV2gZMbLaGWTvLu4DjQhrbgSNyjPfCNRUBLyJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Transportation","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Committee staff briefed the Washington State House Transportation Committee on a striking amendment to Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5801 that combines revenue changes with policy and programmatic revisions affecting ferries, transit, vehicle taxes and local road grants.

Michael Hirsch, staff to the committee, said the revenue package in the striking amendment would raise about $3,205,000,000 over six years. “Included in that revenue proposal is a 6¢ increase to the fuel tax rate, and that would increase by 2% each year,” Hirsch said. The amendment would likewise add a pair of 3¢ increases to the diesel (special-fuel) tax rate above gasoline and index those increases by 2% annually. Hirsch also described increases to vehicle weight fees, passenger-weight fees for heavier vehicles, an increase in the sales-and-use tax assessment on motor vehicles from 0.3% to 0.5%, expanded rental-car tax language and new luxury taxes on high-value noncommercial vehicles and aircraft.

Hirsch summarized other revenue proposals: an increase to the tire-replacement fee from $1 to $5, a new large-event facility transportation assessment of $1 per attendee at venues over 17,000 capacity, and a lower-tier increase to driver’s license and ID card fees. He said the striking amendment would impose a first-offense work-zone fine for “was dot” violations up to $125 beginning July 1, 2026, and add a credit-card surcharge on ferry riders. Hirsch also described a proposed change preventing the Transportation Commission from exempting public transit vehicles, vans and rideshare vehicles from certain bridge tolls.

Jennifer Harris, committee staff, reviewed nonrevenue policy changes in the striking amendment: expanded tolling authority across the SR 520 corridor, changes to shoreline permit project notification requirements, contractual adjustments to ferry procurement, and a strengthened biofuel/renewable-diesel transition mandate for Washington State Ferries. She said the amendment would add certain high-capacity and bus rapid transit improvements to the Growth Management Act definition of essential public facilities, narrow local governments’ ability to block siting of high-capacity transit improvements, and stipulate that transit agencies’ SEPA and NEPA documents serve as the sole applicable environmental review for transit projects.

Harris described a new county local-road grant program to be administered by the County Road Administration Board and the creation of the Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program account with quarterly transfers totaling $12.5 million annually. The amendment would also temporarily exempt 0-emission buses purchased by transit agencies or federally recognized tribes from sales-and-use tax beginning July 1, 2025, with reversion triggers tied to total exemptions reaching $14 million.

Sandy Myers provided initial implementation and staffing estimates for revenue and administrative changes. She said the Department of Revenue expects to need about 6.2 FTEs and approximately $1.85 million in the 2025–27 biennium (including a one-time $308,000 IT cost), and ongoing costs of roughly $500,000 per biennium thereafter. The Department of Licensing listed estimated impacts of about 1.5 FTEs and $567,000 in 2025–27 for new programs such as indigent tow-truck reimbursements; the cost impact on tow-truck reimbursements was characterized as indeterminate.

Public testimony reflected broad stakeholder interest and sharp disagreement on parts of the amendment. Industry groups representing aviation and general aviation (AOPA; National Business Aviation Association), and legal and business aviation interests opposed aircraft- and luxury-vehicle tax provisions, warning of adverse effects on aviation training, jobs and business travel. Brad Schuster of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association called luxury taxes “a form of wealth tax” and urged deletion of the relevant sections. Stephanie Erickson, a partner at CenterPoint Aviation Law, said business aircraft are critical business tools and urged rejection of the aircraft provisions.

Other opponents included freight and petroleum representatives who opposed indexing and warned it would separate tax-setting from legislative budgeting. Greg Hannon of the Western States Petroleum Association said indexing would put increases on “automatic pilot” and remove legislative accountability. Several speakers representing event venues and professional sports organizations—Becky Bogard of the Seattle Sports Commission and Amber Carter of the Seattle Mariners—opposed the $1-per-attendee large-event assessment, calling it an additional burden that could deter events.

Supporters and advocates urged adoption of the revenue and program elements to fund preservation, ferry replacement and local roads. The County Road Administration Board’s executive director Jane Wall said the county local-road grant program is “a very big deal” and would invest in underserved regions and roads that traverse tribal lands. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and the city of Fife testified in support of the substitute’s expenditures, including ferry and Gateway Project funding. Construction, engineering and labor groups urged stronger preservation funding for highways and local networks.

Several groups welcomed removal of an e-bike sales-tax provision from the striking amendment. Vicki Clark of Washington Bikes praised the bill sponsors for removing an e-bike tax and emphasized that e-bikes make active transportation accessible and can replace vehicle trips.

Committee staff closed the hearing and described amendment deadlines for members: requests for amendments to be submitted to staff by 1 p.m. on the day of the hearing and finalized for the electronic bill book by 6 p.m.

No committee action (motions or votes) on the striking amendment was recorded during this hearing; the session moved to caucuses afterward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Transportation - 4/22/2025 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Committee staff outlined a striking amendment to Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5801 that would raise roughly $3.205 billion over six years through fuel-tax indexing and multiple new or expanded fees, and that also contains broad transport policy changes. Dozens of stakeholders offered support, opposition and technical concerns.","taxTitle","Transportation, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20272,"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},6265827,"Committee hears public support for expanded special license plates, staff outlines fees and rollout",824,69000,893000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3088578-eaa7286b754919054ff1fd2f7a5d5f3b&start=69&end=893","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3088578-eaa7286b754919054ff1fd2f7a5d5f3b/thumbnail_69000.jpg","/articles/6265827/Washington/Committee-hears-public-support-for-expanded-special-license-plates-staff-outlines-fees-and-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265827-693b9295c9b03fcf82d3818ab4dd39d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770651754&Signature=hoWf6e8H88K~v8VKjUlG1b2-0b3tMKPdqPQRiUoJGWP2dGkwvVcArC2uF~RkKFirGWdXiriSi~6N8CLtfYFPQwXHaldk59A21Jga5EPyc0JB8mmVKoWkHujcsPBOut6wdo5NL~8PfM54Qe2CgTx0mB7V5rsPtafYbvB24~cri9OzUn3dXKBdYAk1tSaV6phCtCPFSgbk3u~SarqBm20GdaEqKlOdF0jHJ0ACcUVt3N2mWY~trjQKUkTWOinx174ecp~9zSOJ-CdP9e2688T80aNzYu2hfbwfcK4JPhBFp18YuL2IbFeo7t6RVEXd2Cl6RdVxT-OnerYAVkENuoNPIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A public hearing on Substitute Senate Bill 5444, which would change how Washington issues special and personalized license plates, opened before the Washington State House Transportation Committee. Chair Fye convened the session and Vice Chair Reid closed public testimony after a series of in-person and remote witnesses.

Sandy Myers, staff to the committee, summarized the bill’s core provisions. “Substitute Senate Bill 5444 concerns special license plates and personalized license plates,” Myers said, describing the Department of Licensing’s current application method, the 3,500-signature requirement for sponsor-driven plates, and startup and administrative fees. She said the bill would prohibit the department from issuing or accepting applications for new legislatively created special plates until Jan. 1, 2029, require the department to prominently display a special license plate moratorium on its website, and create a Special License Plate Work Group to conduct a comprehensive review by Oct. 1, 2025.

Myers outlined fees the bill would set: a $40 charge for original issuance of a special plate and $30 for renewals, and an increase of the personalized-plate renewal fee from $42 to $52. She also listed plates the bill would phase in by Nov. 1, 2025—including Mount St. Helens, Smokey Bear, a Historical Throwback plate and specialty plates for honeybees and pollinators—and said six additional plates (Donate Life; a firefighter memorial; Nautical Northwest; a U.S. Naval Academy plate; a Seattle Rain plate; and a Working Forests plate) would be implemented only after sponsors submit 3,500 signatures.

Myers presented fiscal and staffing estimates included in the bill packet. She said the revenue tied to the $10 renewal increase for personalized plates is estimated to generate about $1.44 million in the 2025–27 biennium, $1.75 million in 2027–29 and $1.76 million in 2029–31. Revenue projections for the new Historical Throwback plate were listed as approximately $9 million–$9.3 million in fiscal 2026 and $7.8 million in fiscal 2027, with ongoing average receipts of roughly $8 million per year based on experience in other states. The Department of Licensing’s implementation estimate included about 16.6 full-time-equivalent staff and roughly $7.0 million in one-time and biennial costs to set up plates, mailing and processing. Myers also noted the Department of Licensing must first recover start-up costs before proceeds flow to sponsoring organizations.

Public testimony was uniformly supportive. Amber Carter, representing the Seattle Mariners, asked the committee to direct Mariners plate proceeds to the Mariner Care Foundation as a corrective action. “We are here asking for the house help to correct that situation and help redirect the Seattle Mariners plates towards the Mariner Care Foundation,” Carter said. Several students from Lake Washington High School—Rosie Yang, Noga Kidani Abada and Ali Yang—testified in favor, describing how specialty plates raise awareness and fund community programs; Rosie Yang said, “When I see special plates on the road, I get an understanding for the causes that driver[s] support.” Ali Yang said proceeds from the historical throwback plate would help driver education statewide.

Committee members asked clarifying questions. Representative Steebe asked whether existing personalized-plate fees already paid by current registrants would change; Myers answered that they would not.

The committee closed the public hearing on Substitute Senate Bill 5444 and proceeded to the next bill on the agenda. No formal committee votes or amendments on SSB 5444 were recorded during this hearing.

The transcript records the technical details, sponsor-implementation sequencing and the DOL work group deadline described above; further fiscal details are in the bill packet and fiscal note referenced by committee staff.","A House Transportation Committee public hearing on Substitute Senate Bill 5444 reviewed creation and rollout rules for new special license plates, associated fees and a required DOL work group; students and sports organizations testified in favor while staff gave fiscal and implementation estimates.","actionData","errors"]

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Striking amendment to ESSB 5801 would raise $3.2 billion, change taxes and tolling, and add transit and ferry provisions; committee hears wide public reaction

Committee hears public support for expanded special license plates, staff outlines fees and rollout