House transportation committee advances substitute House Bill 1227 after adopting two amendments

The Washington State House Transportation Committee on March 27 voted 22-5 to move proposed substitute House Bill 1227 out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation after adopting two amendments that change appropriation levels and make technical corrections to the bill.

The committee adopted Amendment Matman 6 43, which adjusts multiple appropriations and program language, and Amendment Munn 8 74, a technical correction, before approving the bill. "It increases funding for the Washington State Patrol by $2,000,000 for staffing and security equipment for international border crossings," said staff member Amy Skay while summarizing Matman 6 43.

The amendments add and shift funding across several accounts and projects. Matman 6 43 includes: a continuation of the Joint Transportation Committee study on alternative project delivery methods; moving the Transportation Commission planning appropriation from the 2023-25 to the 2025-27 biennium; a $2,000,000 increase for the Washington State Patrol; a $5,700,000 increase to the commute trip reduction (CTR) program at WSDOT for 2025-27; authorization for persons using mobility devices to participate in an HOV pilot; $350,000 for Pierce County public transportation service on the Key Peninsula; $60,000 for maritime academy certified basic training scholarships; $12,800,000 for the I-5 Nisqually Delta Project; $17,000,000 for SR 522 Paradise Lake Road interchange and widening; and increases to the Regional Mobility Grant program by $37,800,000 from the multimodal account with intent language regarding $30,900,000 for awards in the next biennium. The amendment also adds language specifying that funding in the SR 3 Gorst project includes an archeological study of Squamish artifacts in Gorst.

Munn 8 74 made five technical changes, including authority for the Department of Licensing to issue HOV lane decals for some non-emergency medical transportation vehicles; authorization for certain Puget Sound ferry revenues to support capital construction; alignment of a Vancouver project proviso with appropriated levels; correction of a funding source for a Seattle project; and small adjustments tied to bond retirement and interest. Staff noted a numeric error in an internal fiscal line; the technical amendment's corrected net change totaled about $500,000.

Representative Reed, a committee member, described the measure as a package of "important investments we can make to help Washingtonians move around whether that's by transit, by rail, by bike, by bus, by ferry, by passenger ferry, or by car." Representative Barkas said she would vote no on the bill in committee, citing broader fiscal concerns: "It's gonna be tough for me today because I have to take a little different take on this with a no vote."

The committee recorded a roll call on the bill. The clerk announced 22 ayes and 5 nays. Ayes included Representatives Fey, Birnbaum, Donaghy, Reed, Low, Schmidt, Bernofsky, Dent, Doerr, Entenmann, Griffey, Hunt, Nance, Orcutt, Paul, Ramel, Richards, Taylor, Timmons, Volts, Wiley and Zahn. Nays (including votes "nay without recommendation") were Representatives Marcus, Mendoza, Klicker, Lee and Stevie.

Mark Madison, staff, told members the bill is scheduled for floor consideration next Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.; he said amendment request deadlines would be provided by email and indicated members should plan for an amendments deadline over the weekend and an amendment filing cutoff on Tuesday morning. The committee adjourned after the action.

Votes at a glance Matman 6 43 — Adoption of amendment (motion by Vice Chair Donaghy). Outcome: adopted (voice vote). Notes: contains multiple appropriation and language changes described above. Munn 8 74 — Adoption of amendment (motion by Vice Chair Donaghy). Outcome: adopted (voice vote). Notes: technical corrections and funding-source fixes. Proposed Substitute House Bill 1227 — Motion to report out of committee with a do-pass recommendation (moved by Vice Chair Donaghy). Outcome: approved on roll call, 22 aye, 5 nay; bill moved out of committee with a do-pass recommendation.