SHB 1227
In CommitteeHouse
Transportation budget
Making transportation appropriations.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill establishes the state’s 2025-2027 transportation budget, appropriating approximately $3.9 billion to fund operations, capital projects, and debt service across state and local agencies. It prioritizes equity, climate action, and infrastructure resilience, with dedicated funding for zero-emission school buses, women- and minority-owned business development, and expanded HOV lane access for medical transport.
- Appropriates $3.9 billion for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to fund transportation operations, capital projects, and debt service across state agencies, with major allocations for ferry system improvements, highway and bridge preservation, and transit programs.
- Creates and funds programs to support women- and minority-owned businesses in transportation contracting, including outreach, technical assistance, language access, and a truck rotation program.
- Provides $19.7 million for grants to replace diesel school buses and other student transport vehicles with zero-emission vehicles and associated fueling infrastructure, prioritizing tribes and overburdened communities.
- Authorizes bond sales (e.g., up to $708 million from the move ahead WA account) to finance transportation projects and includes provisions for reappropriating unspent funds from prior biennia.
- Expands access to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes for nonemergency medical transportation vehicles, blood collection vehicles, and private transportation providers under a pilot program.
Who is affected
- State agencies and departments — State agencies and departments (e.g., Department of Transportation, Department of Licensing, Washington State Patrol) that receive funding to operate transportation programs, maintain infrastructure, and enforce traffic laws.
- Local governments — Counties and cities that receive grants for road maintenance, bridge load rating, and local transportation projects, including those focused on safety, equity, and freight.
- Public transit providers and nonprofits — Transit agencies and nonprofit providers that receive funding for public transportation, special needs transportation, and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure.
- Minority- and women-owned businesses — Women- and minority-owned businesses that receive technical assistance, mentorship, and financial support to increase participation in state transportation contracting.
- Students, families, and school districts — Students, families, and school districts that benefit from grants to replace diesel school buses with zero-emission vehicles and improve school bus safety.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Provides $3.003 million to support women- and minority-owned businesses in transportation contracting through outreach, technical assistance, language access, and a truck rotation program, directly increasing opportunities for historically underrepresented entrepreneurs in state transportation projects.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 107Allocates $19.7 million to replace diesel school buses and student transport vehicles with zero-emission vehicles and associated fueling infrastructure, prioritizing tribes and overburdened communities—reducing children's exposure to diesel pollution and improving air quality in environmental justice communities.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 111Establishes a pilot program allowing nonemergency medical transport vehicles, blood collection vehicles, and private transportation providers to use HOV lanes, improving access to critical medical services and reducing travel times for time-sensitive health care deliveries.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 208(2)Expands HOV lane access to private nonprofit transportation providers and employer shuttle services, which can reduce overall vehicle miles traveled and congestion by encouraging ridesharing and employer-based transportation solutions.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 217(2)(a)Grants HOV lane access to blood collection and distribution vehicles, enabling faster delivery of critical medical supplies and improving emergency response capabilities for time-sensitive health care needs.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 217(2)(b)
Potential Concerns (5)
Imposes a $5 fee for high-occupancy vehicle lane exemption decals for nonemergency medical transport vehicles, which may increase operational costs for small medical transport providers and reduce accessibility for patients who rely on these services.
TransportationRef: Sec. 208(2)(f)Requires medical transport providers to submit service contracts as part of decal application, which may create administrative burdens for small providers and delay implementation of the HOV lane access pilot program.
TransportationRef: Sec. 208(2)(d)(iv)Expands HOV lane access to private transportation providers (e.g., charter buses, employer shuttle services), which may increase traffic congestion on HOV lanes during peak hours and reduce travel time reliability for high-occupancy vehicles.
TransportationRef: Sec. 217(2)(a)Grants HOV lane access to blood collection vehicles without occupancy requirements, potentially diluting the efficiency and reliability of HOV lanes for their intended purpose of moving more people per lane.
TransportationRef: Sec. 217(2)(b)Expands HOV lane access to for-hire nonemergency medical transport vehicles, which may increase congestion on HOV lanes and reduce travel time benefits for high-occupancy vehicles, especially if vehicle occupancy is low.
TransportationRef: Sec. 217(2)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Women- and minority-owned transportation contractors benefit from dedicated outreach, technical assistance, language access, and a truck rotation program designed to increase their participation in state transportation contracting.
Students and families in overburdened communities benefit from grants to replace diesel school buses with zero-emission vehicles, reducing children's exposure to harmful diesel emissions and improving air quality near schools.
Nonemergency medical transport providers, blood collection services, and private transportation providers gain access to HOV lanes, reducing travel times and improving service reliability for time-sensitive medical transportation.
State and local governments benefit from increased funding for transportation infrastructure, but may face administrative burdens in implementing new HOV lane access programs and verifying eligibility for medical transport providers.
General commuters may experience reduced travel time reliability on HOV lanes due to increased access by low-occupancy vehicles, potentially diminishing the effectiveness of HOV lanes for their intended purpose of moving more people efficiently.