WashingtonWashington’s transportation department must notify utilities about fish barrier projects
The transportation department must maintain policies for sharing planned fish barrier project information with utility owners and seeking federal money for relocation costs.
What it does
Washington’s transportation department must adopt policies to tell utility owners about planned state highway fish barrier projects, with at least a year of notice whenever feasible.
The department must seek to maximize federal funding for fish barrier projects when it can cover utility relocation. It is encouraged to deposit eligible awards in a state transportation account and report ways to improve funding access.
Argument forEarly project information could give utility owners and the state more time to coordinate work around fish barrier projects.
Argument againstUtility owners may have to plan around projects with limited notice when a full year of warning is not feasible, and relocation funding depends on federal rules.
More detail
Washington’s Department of Transportation must adopt and maintain policies for sharing information with utility owners about planned projects. The policies cover planned state highway projects to remove fish barriers and utility owners. The department must give at least one year of advance notice whenever feasible. The department must maintain the policies; the one-year notice applies whenever feasible.
The department must adopt and maintain policies to maximize federal funding for fish barrier projects when federal rules allow that funding to cover utility relocation costs. These policies concern fish barrier removal projects and federal funding that may cover utility relocation costs. If federal rules allow awards to cover utility relocation, the department is encouraged to deposit those awards in the multimodal transportation account. The department is encouraged to report recommendations for improving access to competitive federal grants or reimbursements, as federal program terms and regulations allow. The department must adopt and maintain the funding policies. Deposits and reports depend on federal rules and program terms.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 18Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 18Chapter 106, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 18Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 9President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 6Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#11). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 4Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Mar 2TR - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Transportation at 1:00 PM.
- Feb 19Public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Feb 14First reading, referred to Transportation.Minor
- Feb 12Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#11). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 122nd substitute bill substituted (TRAN 26).Major
- Feb 12Returned to second reading for amendment.
- Feb 12Rules suspended.
- Feb 10Placed on third reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 6Passed to Rules Committee for third reading.
- Feb 5TRAN - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 5Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 19Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Jan 12Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. On motion, referred to Transportation.Minor
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Apr 27By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.
- Apr 8Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Apr 4TR - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Apr 4Executive action taken in the House Committee on Transportation at 1:30 PM.
- Mar 17Public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Mar 6First reading, referred to Transportation.Minor
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#15). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 41st substitute bill substituted (TRAN 25).Major
- Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 28Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 27TRAN - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 27Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 20Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Feb 6First reading, referred to Transportation.Introduced
Transportation