Skip to main content
Evergreen Ledger

SSB 6335

In Committee

Senate

Transportation commission

Revising the responsibilities of the state transportation commission.

This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.

How does a bill become law?
  1. Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
  2. Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
  3. Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
  4. Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
  5. Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
  6. Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
Introduced: February 8, 2026
Last Action: March 10, 2026
Status: S Rules X
View Bill Text (HTML) (opens in new tab)View Bill Text (PDF) (opens in new tab)

AI Analysis

This analysis was generated by AI and may contain errors. It is not legal advice. Always refer to the official bill text for authoritative information.
People & CommunitiesPeople-leaningCorporate & Wealthy Interests

This bill reshapes the role of the State Transportation Commission by removing its responsibility to develop the statewide transportation plan and instead requiring it to facilitate public input and coordinate with other agencies. It updates transportation policy goals, strengthens interagency collaboration, and revises regional planning board composition.

  • Revises the duties of the State Transportation Commission to focus on public involvement, budget recommendations, rulemaking, administrative support, and policy analysis—removing its former responsibility to develop the statewide transportation plan.
  • Requires annual public engagement by the commission on transportation topics, with a summary report of public views submitted to the legislature by December 1 each year.
  • Amends RCW 47.04.280 to clarify six transportation policy goals: preservation, safety, stewardship, mobility, economic vitality, and environment—with preservation and safety as top priorities.
  • Strengthens coordination among state agencies by requiring the Washington State Patrol, Traffic Safety Commission, County Road Administration Board, and Department of Licensing to consult with WSDOT on transportation priorities during budget and planning.
  • Revises regional transportation planning board membership to ensure representation from the state, WSDOT, major port districts, large cities, and local officials who also serve on transit boards.
  • Repeals two outdated statutes: RCW 47.01.075 (transportation policy development) and RCW 47.26.440 (budget estimate requirements).

Who is affected

  • **State Transportation Commission** — The commission gains a new requirement to conduct and report on annual public engagement activities on transportation topics, and its role shifts from developing the statewide transportation plan to supporting coordination and policy input.
  • **Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)** — The department must now coordinate more closely with other transportation-related agencies during budget and planning processes, and must develop a statewide multimodal plan that includes both state-owned and state-interest facilities.
  • **Regional transportation planning organizations (e.g., Puget Sound Regional Council)** — Regional transportation planning organizations in populous counties must include specific state and local agencies on their executive boards and ensure strong representation of local elected officials who also serve on transit boards.
  • **Counties, cities, and towns** — Counties, cities, and towns must update arterial inventory data every four years to help guide long-term road construction needs, and must submit this data to the Transportation Improvement Board.
  • **Other state transportation-related agencies** — State agencies like the Washington State Patrol, Traffic Safety Commission, County Road Administration Board, and Department of Licensing must consult with WSDOT on transportation priorities during their own planning and budgeting.
Effective: July 28, 2026Fiscal impact: The bill does not specify a direct fiscal impact, but requires the Office of Financial Management to submit performance measures to the legislature each even-numbered year, and the commission must submit a recommended budget annually—suggesting continued or slightly increased administrative oversight and reporting costs.
Model: Intel/Qwen3-Coder-Next-int4-AutoRoundGenerated: Mar 19, 2026 at 9:54 PM

Pro/Con Analysis

Stronger case for benefits

Potential Benefits (5)

  • Mandates annual public engagement by the State Transportation Commission on transportation topics, with a summary report submitted to the legislature—enhancing democratic accountability and ensuring public input directly informs state-level decisions, especially benefiting historically underrepresented communities.

    Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1 (amending RCW 47.01.071)(1)

  • Establishes six clear transportation policy goals—including preservation, safety, stewardship, mobility, economic vitality, and environment—with preservation and safety as top priorities—providing a transparent, values-based framework for future transportation investments and helping align projects with climate and equity goals.

    EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2 (amending RCW 47.04.280)(1)(a)-(f)

  • Requires key transportation agencies (WSP, Traffic Safety Commission, CRAB, DOL) to consult with WSDOT on priorities during budget and planning—reducing siloed decision-making and improving coordination across modes (e.g., traffic enforcement, licensing, road safety), which enhances system-wide efficiency and safety.

    TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 6 (amending RCW 47.01.250)

  • Requires regional planning boards in populous counties to include specific state and local stakeholders—including port districts, large cities, and transit-board-serving officials—improving representation of diverse local interests and reducing dominance by any single jurisdiction or agency.

    Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 4 (amending RCW 47.80.060)

  • The statewide multimodal plan must be consistent with regional and local comprehensive plans under chapter 36.70A RCW (growth management), supporting better alignment between transportation and housing/land-use planning—helping reduce household transportation costs and improve access to jobs and services, especially in high-cost urban areas.

    HousingLean peopleRef: Sec. 8 (amending RCW 47.06.040)
Potential Concerns (5)

  • Counties, cities, and towns must now submit arterial inventory data every four years to the Transportation Improvement Board, creating recurring administrative burden without new funding or flexibility—especially burdensome for small rural jurisdictions with limited staff.

    Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1 (amending RCW 47.01.071)(1)

  • Regional planning boards in populous counties must ensure at least 50% of local elected officials on their executive boards also serve on transit boards—potentially limiting turnover and reducing democratic representation by tying office-holding to multiple roles, which may disadvantage smaller jurisdictions with fewer qualified candidates.

    Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 4 (amending RCW 47.80.060)

  • Mandating consultation between WSDOT and agencies like Washington State Patrol and Department of Licensing on transportation priorities may increase bureaucratic coordination costs and delay decision-making, potentially slowing project implementation and increasing compliance costs for agencies and contractors.

    Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 6 (amending RCW 47.01.250)

  • While safety is prioritized, the bill lacks enforceable standards or metrics for how agencies must balance safety against other goals (e.g., preservation, mobility), potentially leading to inconsistent implementation across regions and agencies, with safety sometimes subordinated in practice despite its stated priority.

    Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 2 (amending RCW 47.04.280)(2)

  • The bill requires environmental documentation but explicitly states it is not intended to create a private right of action or require an EIS—reducing legal accountability for environmental harms and potentially weakening enforcement of environmental protections despite the “environment” policy goal.

    EnvironmentRef: Sec. 8 (amending RCW 47.06.040)

Who Is Most Affected

Counties and cities (especially small/rural)Negative Impact

Counties and cities face new reporting requirements (arterial inventory every 4 years) and must ensure local officials serve dual roles on regional boards—increasing administrative burden, especially for small jurisdictions with limited staff.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)Mixed Impact

WSDOT gains formal responsibility for developing a statewide multimodal plan and must coordinate more closely with other agencies—increasing planning responsibilities but also strengthening its authority to align regional and state efforts.

Regional transportation planning organizationsMixed Impact

Regional transportation planning organizations (e.g., PSRC) must restructure governance to include specific state and local members and ensure transit-board representation—improving equity and coordination but potentially slowing consensus-building.

Other state transportation-related agenciesMixed Impact

State agencies like WSP, Traffic Safety Commission, and DOL gain formal consultation duties with WSDOT—enhancing interagency alignment but adding bureaucratic steps to their own planning processes.

General public / everyday WashingtoniansPositive Impact

The general public benefits from mandatory annual public engagement and reporting, increasing transparency and democratic input—especially helpful for communities historically excluded from transportation planning.