HB 1823

H-2771.1
  SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1823
State of Washington  69th Legislature       2026 Regular Session
By House Transportation (originally sponsored by Representative Low)
READ FIRST TIME 01/23/26.
1      AN ACT Relating to the transportation improvement board; amending
2  RCW 47.26.084, 47.26.086, 47.26.121, and 47.26.140; repealing RCW
3  47.26.170 and 47.26.300; and declaring an emergency.
4  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5     Sec. 1.   RCW 47.26.084 and 2011 c 120 s 6 are each amended to
6 read as follows:
7     (1) The transportation improvement account is hereby created in
8 the motor vehicle fund. The intent of the program is to:
9     (a) Improve mobility of people and goods in Washington state by
10 supporting   economic  development   and  environmentally   responsive
11 solutions to our statewide transportation system needs;
12     (b) Improve the arterial street system of the state by improving
13 mobility and safety while supporting an environment essential to the
14 quality of life of the citizens of the state; and
15     (c) Maintain, preserve, and extend the life and utility of prior
16 investments in transportation systems and services.
17     (2) ((The small city program, as provided for in RCW 47.26.115,
18 is implemented within the transportation improvement account.
19     (3))) Within one year after board approval of an application for
20 funding, a county, city, or transportation benefit district shall
21 provide written certification to the board of the pledged local
  p. 1  SHB 1823
1 and/or private funding. Funds allocated to an applicant that does not
2 certify its funding within one year after approval may be reallocated
3 by the board.
4     Sec. 2.   RCW 47.26.086 and 2011 c 120 s 7 are each amended to
5 read as follows:
6     Transportation improvement account projects selected for funding
7 programs after fiscal year 1995 are governed by the requirements of
8 this section.
9     The board shall allocate funds from the account by June 30th of
10 each year for the ensuing fiscal year to urban counties, cities
11 ((with   a  population   of  five   thousand  and   over)),  and   to
12 transportation benefit districts. Projects may include, but are not
13 limited to, multiagency projects and arterial improvement projects in
14 fast-growing areas. The board shall endeavor to provide geographical
15 diversity in selecting improvement projects to be funded from the
16 account.
17      To be eligible to receive these funds, a project must be
18 consistent with the Growth Management Act, the Clean Air Act
19 including conformity, and the Commute Trip Reduction Law and
20 consideration must have been given to the project's relationship,
21 both actual and potential, with the statewide rail passenger program
22 and rapid mass transit. Projects must be consistent with any adopted
23 high capacity transportation plan, must consider existing or
24 reasonably foreseeable congestion levels attributable to economic
25 development or growth and all modes of transportation and safety, and
26 must    be  partially   funded  by   local   government  or   private
27 contributions, or a combination of such contributions. Priority
28 consideration shall be given to those projects with the greatest
29 percentage of local or private contribution, or both.
30      Within one year after board approval of an application for
31 funding, the lead agency shall provide written certification to the
32 board of the pledged local and private funding for the phase of the
33 project approved. Funds allocated to an applicant that does not
34 certify its funding within one year after approval may be reallocated
35 by the board.
36     Sec. 3.   RCW 47.26.121 and 1996 c 49 s 1 are each amended to read
37 as follows:
  p. 2  SHB 1823
1     (1) There is hereby created a transportation improvement board of
2 ((twenty-one)) 21 members, six of whom shall be county members and
3 six of whom shall be city members. The remaining members shall be:
4 (a) One representative appointed by the governor who shall be a state
5 employee with responsibility for transportation policy, planning, or
6 funding;   (b)    two   representatives    from   the   department    of
7 transportation; (c) two representatives of public transit systems;
8 (d) a private sector representative; (e) a member representing the
9 ports;   (f)    a    member   representing    ((nonmotorized))   active
10 transportation;   and   (g)  a   member   representing   special   needs
11 transportation.
12     (2) Of the county members of the board, one shall be a county
13 engineer or public works director; one shall be the executive
14 director of the county road administration board; one shall be a
15 county planning director or planning manager; one shall be a county
16 executive, councilmember, or commissioner from a county with a
17 population of ((one hundred twenty-five thousand)) 125,000 or more;
18 one shall be a county executive, councilmember, or commissioner of a
19 county who serves on the board of a public transit system; and one
20 shall be a county executive, councilmember, or commissioner from a
21 county with a population of less than ((one hundred twenty-five
22 thousand)) 125,000. All county members of the board, except the
23 executive director of the county road administration board, shall be
24 appointed. Not more than one county member of the board shall be from
25 any one county. No more than two of the three county elected
26 officials may represent counties located in either the eastern or
27 western part of the state as divided north and south by the summit of
28 the Cascade mountains.
29     (3) Of the city members of the board one shall be a chief city
30 engineer, public works director, or other city employee with
31 responsibility for public works activities, of a city with a
32 population of ((twenty thousand)) 20,000 or more; one shall be a
33 chief city engineer, public works director, or other city employee
34 with responsibility for public works activities, of a city of less
35 than ((twenty thousand)) 20,000 population; one shall be a city
36 planning director or planning manager; one shall be a mayor,
37 commissioner, or city councilmember of a city with a population of
38 ((twenty thousand)) 20,000 or more; one shall be a mayor,
39 commissioner, or city councilmember of a city who serves on the board
40 of a public transit system; and one shall be a mayor, commissioner,
  p. 3  SHB 1823
1 or councilmember of a city of less than ((twenty thousand)) 20,000
2 population. All of the city members shall be appointed. Not more than
3 one city member of the board shall be from any one city. No more than
4 two of the three city-elected officials may represent cities located
5 in either the eastern or western part of the state as divided north
6 and south by the summit of the Cascade mountains.
7     (4) Of the transit members, at least one shall be a general
8 manager, executive director, or transit director of a public transit
9 system in an urban area with a population over ((two hundred
10 thousand)) 200,000 and at least one representative from a rural or
11 small urban transit system in an area with a population less than
12 ((two hundred thousand)) 200,000.
13     (5) The private sector member shall be a citizen with business,
14 management, and transportation related experience and shall be active
15 in a business community-based transportation organization.
16      (6) The port member shall be a commissioner or senior staff
17 person of a public port.
18      (7) The ((nonmotorized)) active transportation member shall be a
19 citizen with a demonstrated interest and involvement with ((a
20 nonmotorized)) an active transportation group.
21     (8) The specialized transportation member shall be a citizen with
22 a demonstrated interest and involvement with a statewide specialized
23 needs transportation group.
24     (9) Appointments of county, city, Washington department of
25 transportation,     transit,     port,     ((nonmotorized))    active
26 transportation, special needs transportation, and private sector
27 representatives shall be made by the secretary of the department of
28 transportation. Appointees shall be chosen from a list of two persons
29 for each position nominated by the Washington state association of
30 counties for county members, the association of Washington cities for
31 city members, the Washington state transit association for the
32 transit members, and the Washington public ports association for the
33 port    member.   The   private    sector,   ((nonmotorized))  active
34 transportation, and special needs members shall be sought through
35 classified advertisements in selected newspapers collectively serving
36 all urban areas of the state, and other appropriate means. Persons
37 applying    for   the   private    sector,   ((nonmotorized))  active
38 transportation, or special needs transportation member position must
39 provide a letter of interest and a resume to the secretary of the
40 department of transportation. In the case of a vacancy, the
  p. 4  SHB 1823
1 appointment shall be only for the remainder of the unexpired term in
2 which the vacancy has occurred. A vacancy shall be deemed to have
3 occurred on the board when any member elected to public office
4 completes that term of office or is removed therefrom for any reason
5 or when any member employed by a political subdivision terminates
6 such employment for whatsoever reason or when a private sector,
7 ((nonmotorized))    active    transportation,   or    special    needs
8 transportation member resigns or is unable or unwilling to serve.
9     (10) Appointments shall be for terms of four years. Terms of all
10 appointed members shall expire on June 30th of even-numbered years.
11 The initial term of appointed members may be for less than four
12 years. No appointed member may serve more than two consecutive four-
13 year terms.
14     (11) The board shall elect a chair from among its members for a
15 two-year term.
16     (12) Expenses of the board shall be paid in accordance with RCW
17 47.26.140.
18     (13) For purposes of this section((, "public)):
19     (a) "Active transportation" means forms of pedestrian mobility
20 including walking or running, the use of a mobility assistive device
21 such as a wheelchair, bicycling, and cycling irrespective of the
22 number of wheels, and the use of small personal devices such as foot
23 scooters or skateboards. "Active transportation" includes both
24 traditional and electric-assisted bicycles and other devices.
25     (b) "Public transit system" means a city-owned transit system,
26 county transportation authority, metropolitan municipal corporation,
27 public transportation benefit area, or regional transit authority.
28     Sec. 4.   RCW 47.26.140 and 2011 c 120 s 9 are each amended to
29 read as follows:
30     The transportation improvement board shall appoint an executive
31 director, who shall serve at its pleasure and whose salary shall be
32 set by the board, and may employ additional staff as it deems
33 appropriate. All costs associated with staff, together with travel
34 expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, shall be
35 paid from the ((public transportation systems account and the))
36 transportation improvement account in the motor vehicle fund as
37 determined by the biennial appropriation.
  p. 5  SHB 1823
1     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 5.   The following acts or parts of acts are
2 each repealed:
3      (1) RCW 47.26.170 (Long-range arterial construction planning—
4  Arterial inventory data) and 2005 c 319 s 131, 1994 c 179 s 16, 1988
5  c 167 s 19, 1984 c 7 s 156, 1971 ex.s. c 291 s 2, & 1967 ex.s. c 83 s
6  23; and
7      (2) RCW 47.26.300 (Bicycle routes—Legislative declaration) and
8  1974 ex.s. c 141 s 1.
9     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 6.  This act is necessary for the immediate
10 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of
11 the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes
12 effect immediately.
  --- END ---
  p. 6  SHB 1823