AN ACT Relating to county ferry district authority;
HB 2588 revises Washington law governing county ferry districts. It expands and clarifies the authority of county legislative bodies to create ferry districts by ordinance after a public hearing and a finding that creation of the district is in the public interest. The bill confirms that ferry districts are municipal corporations and independent taxing authorities, and it specifies that the county legislative authority serves as the district’s governing body. It also adds a new advisory committee requirement for newly created county ferry districts, with five county residents appointed to advise the district, including representation from frequent ferry users and other parts of the county, and encourages inclusion of a federally recognized tribal member.
The bill also strengthens and refines ferry district operational and financing powers. It authorizes ferry districts to construct, purchase, operate, and maintain passenger-only ferries and related wharves and terminals, levy property taxes within stated limits, and use those revenues for ferry service, vessel and terminal costs, shuttle service, and related personnel costs. It further allows ferry districts to incur general indebtedness and issue general obligation bonds for passenger-only ferry infrastructure, with the creating ordinance required to state the intent and maximum contemplated debt. The bill includes special provisions for large counties and for a proposed Vashon-Seattle passenger-only route, including a requirement for gubernatorial approval and a submitted business plan before assuming that route.
HB 2588 also modifies state restrictions affecting ferry and bridge crossings over Puget Sound and related waters. It preserves a ten-mile restriction on competing ferry crossings or toll bridges in certain circumstances, but creates a waiver process through the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for commercial ferry operators if the waiver is not detrimental to the public interest. The commission must consider congestion mitigation, air quality, and the overall impact on the state ferry system, and the waiver can become permanent after five years unless challenged. The bill also clarifies that these restrictions do not apply to passenger-only ferry service operated by public transportation benefit areas or ferry districts.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears generally favorable, as reflected by repeated do-pass recommendations and passage in both chambers, though not without opposition. The House and Senate votes show meaningful support at each stage, but the margins narrowed in the Senate and final House concurrence, indicating some concern about the scope of ferry district authority and the transportation policy changes. The bill’s passage with Senate amendments suggests lawmakers were willing to support the concept while refining its details.
The main points of contention appear to be the expansion of local taxing and bonding authority, the creation of a new ferry district advisory structure, and the potential competitive effects on existing ferry and bridge operators. The special treatment of the Vashon-Seattle route and the waiver process for the ten-mile restriction likely drew attention from stakeholders concerned about route competition, public-private ferry operations, and the relationship between county ferry districts and the state ferry system. Counties, ferry users, transit providers, and commercial ferry operators are the most directly affected parties.
The bill amends multiple sections of Washington’s county ferry district statutes to expand local authority, clarify governance, and add financing tools. It authorizes county ferry districts to levy property taxes within specified limits, issue general obligation bonds, and use those funds for passenger-only ferry service, terminals, shuttle connections, and related personnel costs. It also creates a new advisory committee requirement for county ferry districts and establishes special procedural requirements for certain large-county ferry routes, including gubernatorial approval and a business plan for a Vashon-Seattle passenger-only ferry route. In addition, it revises state restrictions on ferry crossings and toll bridges over Puget Sound waters and creates a waiver process administered by the Utilities and Transportation Commission.
The bill appears to have broad but not unanimous support. It passed key House and Senate votes and received do-pass recommendations in committee, indicating general agreement with expanding county ferry district tools and passenger-only ferry service options. However, the Senate and final concurrence votes were closer than earlier House votes, suggesting some reservations about the bill’s scope, fiscal authority, and transportation impacts. The amended Senate passage also indicates that lawmakers sought to adjust the bill before final approval.
The most notable areas of contention are the expansion of county taxing and bonding authority, the potential for new passenger-only ferry routes to compete with existing service, and the bill’s special provisions for a Vashon-Seattle route. Stakeholders concerned about local tax burdens, public versus private ferry operations, and the effect on the state ferry system may have opposed or sought changes to the bill. The new waiver process for the ten-mile restriction and the requirement that existing labor agreements be honored also suggest competing interests among local governments, ferry workers, commercial operators, and transit advocates.