Committee votes to repeal statute enabling DOT membership in Western States transportation compact

Representative Ruby told the House Transportation Committee that the provision of state law permitting the Department of Transportation to join a multistate highway transportation agreement (commonly known as the Western States Transportation Alliance, WESTA) had outlived its usefulness. He described dwindling participation and no meetings since the COVID period and asked the committee to repeal the statutory authorization.

"We have done no meetings, no activity since for sure 2020," Representative Ruby said, and suggested it was time to remove the provision from state code so the DOT would not have an open statutory obligation to join or pay dues to the compact.

Wade Swenson, the N.D. Department of Transportation office operations director, told the committee the DOT supports HB 1215. Swenson said DOT has ceased paying dues and there has been no recent WESTA activity; the department wanted the statute repealed so it is not automatically obligated to join or fund an inactive compact. He told the panel that the DOT’s last payment was $5,000 per year in 2022 and that the agency’s preference is to avoid statutory earmarks that compel membership or payments when the compact is inactive.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about WESTA’s history and purpose; representatives discussed the compact’s earlier focus on cross-state uniformity for vehicle size and weight and permit coordination. Representative Ruby said the compact’s goals were worthwhile but that participation and output had faded, and that the department and committee should not be required by statute to maintain membership.

After brief discussion, Representative Hendricks moved a do-pass recommendation on HB 1215; Representative Freilich seconded. The clerk took a roll call and the committee recorded a unanimous yes vote. The committee recorded a do-pass recommendation and assigned Representative Fraylich as bill carrier.