Washington Business Fall 2018 | Legislative Review & Vote Record

2018 legislative review HB 2653 electric vehicle incentive Failed/AWB Supported Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, at left, is the ranking member of the committee. vehicle work group. The bill directs offi- cials with the Washington Transportation Commission (WTC) to convene a group of executive and legislative branch represen- tatives, as well as any additional individuals representing relevant stakeholders. The scope of the work group includes: follow- ing technology developments, identifying policies to improve public safety, prepar- ing state agencies for deployment, and engaging the public to inform policy devel- opment. The bill also directs WTC officials to provide a report and recommendations to the Legislature annually until December 2023. SHB 2970 passed the Senate 48-0 and the House 90-6. SHB 2990 tacoma narrows bridge tolls Passed/AWB Neutral Substitute House Bill 2990, sponsored by Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, is intended to keep toll rates on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (TNB) from rising above current levels until 2022. The existing financial plan calls for escalating debt payments, which requires ongoing toll increases. Over the years, public pressure has mounted against these rising toll rates and Washing ton 34 association of washington business Transportation Commission officials have used funds from various transportation accounts to defer toll increases. The current toll rate for an average passenger vehicle is $5 with a Good To Go pass, $6 if paying by cash, or $7 pay by mail. SHB 2990 intends to pay TNB debt service with up to $85 million in loans, which will then be repaid by toll revenue after the TNB debt service is paid off. SHB 2990 passed the Senate 47-1 and the House 97-1. SHB 2282 net neutrality Passed/AWB Neutral Substitute House Bill 2282, sponsored by Rep. Drew Ha nsen, D -Ba inbridge Island, imposed state level net neutrality reg ulat ions on internet access. Wit h recent changes at the federal level, state lawmakers said it was necessary to impose certain “open access” regulations at the state level. More specif ically, the bill prohibits internet providers from blocking content, applications, or services as well as throttling traffic. Federal law expressly pr e emp t s s t at e s f r om i mp o si n g ne t neutrality laws and litigation is expected on this issue. SHB 2282 passed the House 93-5 and the Senate 35-14. AWB supported House Bill 2653, sponsored by Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, which would have extended the sales tax exemption on the purchase of qualifying electric vehicles. Currently, the retail sales tax is exempted on the first $32,000 of an electric vehicle’s value. There are about 6,800 vehicles titled in Washington subject to the exemption. Under current law, the exemption will expire if the number of vehicles reaches 7,500 or by June 30, 2019, whichever occurs first. The number of vehicles under the exemption reached the limit this year, thus activating an end to the incentive. The cost of the exemption is paid from the Multi-modal account in the transportation budget. HB 2653 would have extended the sunset to June 30, 2021 and removed the expiration trigger of 7,500 vehicles. HB 2653 passed the House by a vote of 86-12 but it died in the Senate Rules Committee. EHB 2201 & ESSB 5955 sound transit mvet valuation Failed/AWB Neutral Engrossed House Bill 2201, sponsored by Rep. Mike Pellicciotti, D-Federal Way, a nd Eng rossed Substit ute Senate Bill 5955, sponsored by Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, would have amended Sound Transit’s valuation method for determining vehicle values when imposing its Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) approved by voters in 2016. The bills would have

Washington Business Fall 2018 | Legislative Review & Vote Record | Page 36