Dear friends,
This Wednesday, March 12th, is the House of Origin Cutoff, meaning bills need to be voted out of the chamber they started in by the end of that day. Bills that originated in the Senate must be passed out of the Senate, and bills that originated in the House must be passed out of the House. The next big deadline is the Opposite House Policy Cutoff on April 2nd, when bills must have also passed through the other chamber.
Several of the bills we’re supporting have hearings this week, including a bill to establish shared streets, a bill promoting transit-oriented development, a bill to reform parking minimum requirements, and a bill to reform drivers’ license requirements on job descriptions. Learn more about them below, and sign in PRO to show your support!
The transportation budget is on track to be released the week of March 24th, and we anticipate seeing two versions of the budget — one with cuts, and one showing what’s possible with new revenue added. We’ll be advocating for a “fix it first” approach to transportation spending and a review of the freeway projects planned for the future, in order to avoid cuts to preservation and maintenance work and investments in transit, walking, and biking.
We know that one of Governor Ferguson’s top priorities for transportation is restoring ferry service. He announced last week that Washington State Ferries will delay converting two of the biggest diesel ferries to hybrid diesel/electric until after the World Cup in 2026. The delay is intended to help restore full service this summer and through the World Cup next year.
Keep reading for opportunities to take action, and check out our Bill Tracker to see the status of all the bills we’re tracking.
Ride on!
– Transportation Choices
What's Coming Up This Week
Thursday, March 13th:
- A bill we support establishing shared streets (ESB 5595) has a hearing in the House Transportation Committee at 4 PM. This bill would legalize a type of street where cars are allowed, but pedestrians are the priority, and the speed limit is 10 mph. Sign in PRO here.
Friday, March 14th:
- A bill we support promoting transit-oriented development (3SHB 1491) has a hearing in the Senate Housing Committee at 10:30 AM. This bill would require cities to allow more density near light rail and bus rapid transit stops. Sign in PRO here.
- A bill we support concerning minimum parking requirements (ESSB 5184) has a hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM. This bill would limit parking minimums as a requirement for development. You can read more about it from our friends at The Urbanist. Sign in PRO here.
- A bill we support concerning job postings requiring driver’s licenses (SSB 5501) has a hearing in the House Committee on Labor and Workforce Standards at 10:30 AM. This bill would help ensure nondrivers are not unfairly barred from job opportunities. Sign in PRO here.
