Senate Transportation Committee advances wide package of transportation bills, including $2.5 billion bridge bond authorization

The Washington State Senate Transportation Committee on April 8, 2025, voted to advance a package of transportation bills to the rules committee, including a substitute for Senate Bill 5,734 that raises the bond authorization for the Interstate Bridge Replacement project to $2.5 billion.

Committee staff and members summarized or moved forward more than a dozen bills and memorials during the executive session in Olympia. The measures ranged from funding and contracting authorization to pilot programs for automated vehicle noise enforcement and expanded leasing of unused highway land to community uses.

The substitute for Senate Bill 5,734 would allow the state treasurer to issue up to $2,500,000,000 in bonds for the I-5 bridge replacement project, up from the $1.6 billion figure in the earlier version. Haley Gamble, committee staff, said the earlier $1.6 billion figure was based on a prior traffic and revenue study and that “there are a lot of unknowns,” noting a new traffic and revenue study is underway. The committee moved the substitute with a due-pass recommendation to the rules committee.

The committee also advanced substitute House Bill 1264, which directs the Office of Financial Management to contract for nationally recognized salary surveys covering specified ferry system positions. Jenna 40, committee staff, said the bill carries a fiscal note of about $375,000 paid from the motor vehicle account as an interagency transfer from WSDOT to OFM. Senator King said he was concerned the comparator entities used in the survey “have a much higher wage for a number of reasons,” and warned passing the bill could raise system operating costs. The committee adopted a striking amendment and advanced the bill as amended with a due-pass recommendation.

Other bills advanced included measures affecting Amtrak Cascades service goals (Engrossed Substitute House Bill 18-37), a pilot for automated vehicle noise enforcement cameras limited to up to three cities (Engrossed Substitute House Bill 14-23), expanded contracting procedures for state highway projects (House Bill 19-70), a change to the cap and indexing for relocation reimbursement when properties are acquired for projects (Substitute House Bill 17-33), and technical and programmatic changes such as new special license plates (Senate Bill 5,444) and adjustments to driver license suspension alternatives (Substitute House Bill 12-44).

The committee debated lease terms for unused WSDOT highway land (Substitute House Bill 17-74). A striking amendment added federally recognized tribes and state historical societies as potential lessees and required legislative approval for nonprofit lease agreements in the transportation budget. An amendment to limit nonprofit leases to temporary uses was adopted after discussion about potential local uses such as safe RV lots and concerns about long-term site remediation costs.

Several memorials and appointments were also advanced, including two naming memorials for bridges and a gubernatorial appointment: the committee advanced the nomination of Severin Knutson to the Board of Pilots with a recommendation for confirmation.

Votes at a glance

- Substitute Senate Bill 5,734 (Interstate Bridge Replacement Toll Bond Authority): Advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; substitute increases authorization from $1,600,000,000 to $2,500,000,000; motion carried by voice vote. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Substitute House Bill 12-64 (salaries of ferry system collective bargaining units): Striking amendment adopted; substitute as amended advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; fiscal note ~ $375,000 for salary surveys; several members voiced concern about comparators; motion carried. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 18-37 (inner-city passenger rail priorities / Amtrak Cascades targets): Striking amendment adopted (removed incremental speed/travel-time targets; required independent study of WSDOT plan); advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; some members expressed that goals may be overly ambitious. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 14-23 (automated vehicle noise enforcement camera pilot): Striking amendment adopted to limit pilot to no more than three cities above 2,000,000 population and to require Department of Ecology sound-level rules be used; clarified data deletion and audio-use limits; advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- House Bill 19-70 (State Highway Project alternative contracting procedures): Striking amendment adopted that removed a July 1, 2025 trigger and clarified CPARB certification/approval exemptions; advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- House Bill 16-05 (state patrol longevity bonus eligibility correction): Advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Senate Bill 5,444 (special license plates): Proposed substitute advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; includes a Keep Washington Evergreen plate and a new historical throwback plate with proceeds dedicated to driver education programs; LeMay Car Museum provisions adjusted. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Substitute House Bill 10-61 (residential parking flexibility): Advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; local option, no state fiscal impact. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- House Bill 19-70 (alternative contracting) — see above.

- Substitute House Bill 17-33 (increase reimbursement cap for moving/relocation expenses): Striking amendment adopted that adjusts the maximum payment to $100,000 for state agencies (growing with inflation) until February 1930, with other agencies at $200,000 plus inflation; advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Substitute House Bill 17-74 (lease of unused highway land): Striking amendment and amendment 5-17 adopted to allow temporary nonprofit uses with legislative oversight for longer-term leases; advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: approved)

- Substitute House Bill 12-44 (training as alternative to driver license suspension): Advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation; benefit allowed once every five years. (moved: Vice Chair Lubbock; outcome: approved)

- Joint memorials (Substitute House Joint Memorial 4001; House Joint Memorial 4002): Advanced to rules committee with due-pass recommendation. (outcomes: approved)

- Senate gubernatorial appointment 09/1997 (Severin Knutson, Board of Pilots): Advanced with recommendation for confirmation. (moved: Vice Chair Levick; outcome: recommended for confirmation)

Context and next steps

Committee staff emphasized that many bills carried fiscal notes or indeterminate costs, and that several adopted striking amendments narrow or clarify original language so the measures can be further considered in the coming floor and budget processes. Haley Gamble, committee staff, said a new traffic-and-revenue study is underway for the Interstate Bridge project and that the larger $2.5 billion authorization ‘‘may or may not be needed in the future’’ depending on future planning and budgeting. Senator King and other members signaled some no votes on certain measures, citing concerns about cost and scope. All advanced bills will proceed to the rules committee; some will require further budgetary or administrative steps before implementation.

The committee recessed for caucus before returning to executive session and adjourned after final votes. Several members thanked committee staff; the committee’s next procedural steps are to transmit advanced measures to the rules committee and, as appropriate, to the Senate floor and the governor’s office for further action.