Permitting reform bill advances; contractor rating provision draws industry pushback
House Bill 27 18 would push WSDOT to accelerate multiagency permitting and create a public contractor rating website; stakeholders including Associated General Contractors and asphalt contractors opposed the public rating provision, saying it could punish contractors for delays beyond their control and invite protests.
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House Bill 27 18, heard Feb. 5 in the Transportation Committee, aims to streamline permitting for transportation projects by tightening timelines for multiagency coordination, requiring early tribal and community outreach, and directing WSDOT to create programmatic or template permit processes where feasible. The bill also would require a publicly accessible contractor rating website that displays metrics such as bid vs. final cost and schedule performance for contractors who bid on state and local transportation projects.
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