This week, we bring you another round of updates to several transportation bills journeying through the Legislature.
Freight mobility
HB 1084 makes several changes to the state’s Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB). The bill removes
the Board’s authority related to the selection and finance of freight projects, instead directing it to identify a six-year program of the highest priority freight mobility investments for the state and identify critical emerging freight issues.
The bill also moves the Board’s focus towards impacts of freight transportation on overburdened communities, among other changes.
AWC supports the bill as amended.
HB 1084 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee on Monday, March 27, at 4 pm.
Deterring bridge jumping
HB 1004 encourages cities, towns, and counties to erect informational signs on new and existing bridges providing location-specific information
about the hazards of jumping. It received a unanimous vote of approval last week in the Senate Transportation Committee and was passed to the Senate Rules Committee.
AWC supports the bill.
Transportation impact fee revenue
SB 5452 authorizes cities to use transportation impact fees on bicycle and pedestrian facilities not within road rights-of-way. It was
heard in the House Local Government Committee last week, where it was approved by a 4-3 vote. It heads now to the House Rules Committee.
AWC supports SB 5452.
Transportation revenue forecast
HB 1838 transfers the responsibilities for the transportation revenue forecast for the transportation budget to the Economic
and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC). The bill requires ERFC to prepare and approve the transportation revenue forecast beginning with the September 2024 forecast. Legislators from the Transportation Committee and the Director of the Department of
Licensing are added as Council members that would sit with the ERFC when the Council is considering and approving the transportation revenue forecast.
Last week, HB 1838 was amended by the Senate Transportation Committee to allow the Council to prepare unofficial transportation revenue projections, which may include optimistic and pessimistic assumptions. This brings the new responsibilities
of the Council, as proposed by the bill, in line with the Council’s existing responsibilities for making the state’s economic forecast. Other administrative changes were also made to clean up inconsistencies in the proposed legislation.
The bill was voted unanimously out of the Committee and was passed to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration.