This week is another round of cutoffs. Bills that are still alive need to be voted out of their respective Policy Committees by Wednesday, March 29th, or Fiscal Committees by next Tuesday, April 4th. Therefore, we have an immediate ask for SB 5466, Promoting transit-oriented development.
SB 5466 has an executive session in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 p.m. today, March 27. We are working on strengthening parking provisions that would require approval from the Department of Commerce for parking minimums near transit. We need to beat back opposition that wants more parking near transit.Budget Season is Here
As mentioned last week, the legislature is preparing and releasing budgets this week, and some of TCC’s priorities will be reflected in them.
Each Chamber will propose an operating, capital, and a transportation budget, in the form of a bill typically sponsored by the Chairs of Ways and Means, Appropriations, and both Transportation Committees. Senate and House budgets will not always look the same, and will have key differences that will need to be reconciled over the next several weeks. The operating budget will include Climate Commitment Act revenue and some decarbonization efforts, and you will see some expenditures from Move Ahead WA in the Transportation budget. Various provisos will find a home in either one of them. Here is where you can view budget documents as they become available:
The budget is often an important vehicle for moving forward policy ideas. TCC hopes to see items in the Transportation budgets that will solve critical barriers to providing good transit, and advance the state’s transportation system to be safer and more connected. In particular, we are hoping to see funding for a study to explore solutions to the transit operator shortage, funding for the second phase of the Frequent Transit Service study, a proviso that would direct the Department of Licensing to start initial preparations for the implementation of a Road Usage Charge, and a new state Mobility Partnership Grant to help connect vulnerable and overburdened communities.
The House will likely release their version of a 2024-2025 state Transportation budget today, March 27th, and hold a hearing on the 29th, whereas the Senate will likely release theirs on March 29th and hold a hearing on the 30th.
We are also supporting requests to improve active transportation network data, identify efficiencies in transit planning, and multimodal planning that would address impacts from aviation. TCC will be testifying alongside our partners in support of these items, and will share information for providing comment when available.What’s coming up
SB 5466 – Promoting transit-oriented development (TOD)
As noted above, we’re working to strengthen housing development near transit. At issue right now is a key provision that removes parking requirements near transit stops. Requiring parking drives up the cost of housing, discourages transit use, and undermines the spirit of the bill. It is scheduled for Executive Session in House Housing on March 27th at 1 p.m. and March 28th at 4 p.m.HB 1110 – Increasing middle housing in areas traditionally dedicated to single-family detached housing
The Senate Committee on Housing had an Executive session on March 22nd at 1:30 p.m. You can watch here.HB 1181 – Improving the state’s response to climate change by updating the state’s planning framework
The bill was referred to Senate Ways & Means, and was heard on March 23rd at 4:00 p.m. You can watch here. Our partners at Futurewise have an action you can take here.
