Dear Tom,
It was a legislative session like no other. In January, legislative leaders began a virtual session promising to deliver progress on the COVID-19 response, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change. And they delivered. Investments made and reforms passed included: increased investments in bike and pedestrian funding a low carbon fuel standard, early learning and childcare program expansions, a host of police accountability and reform measures, and critical investments made to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington Bikes worked throughout the 105-day session to convey the immense need for greater investment in safer streets, accessible routes for people of all ages and abilities, and multimodal approaches that strengthen the transportation system as well as the communities it connects. We are celebrating small victories with the outcome of the two-year transportation budget, but we are poised for even more meaningful investments in a transportation revenue package when the Legislature reconvenes, due to our collective voices in support of active transportation investments this session. We were excited to see these investments come to life in the transportation budget, and we wanted to update you on the priorities that you worked so hard to advocate for alongside us this session.

• $10 million increase to active transportation grant programs: The Legislature passed a 2021-2023 two-year transportation budget. The House proposed version of the transportation budget included increases to the Safe Routes to School and Pedestrian and Bike grant programs, while the Senate proposed transportation budget held the active transportation grant programs at maintenance level. Washington Bikes is pleased to share, despite the constraints on the transportation budget, the final budget passed with a $10 million increase to the Safe Routes to School and pedestrian and bicycle grant programs. We look forward to continuing work to ensure there are increased state investments for active transportation as new and more flexible revenue is available, and we are grateful the incredible demand for bike and pedestrian safety projects were recognized with increased spending in the biennial budget.

• In the end, a transportation investment package did not make it through, but we couldn’t have gotten to where we did without your help. In the last committee meeting where the transportation revenue package was discussed we did hear from Senate transportation leaders that they hoped to see the House levels funded in the final investment proposal. That is progress and that leaves us in a good position for when this conversation picks back up again. 

Where priority/partner legislation ended up:

HB 1330 - E-bike and e-bike equipment sales tax exemption. This will help make e-bikes more affordable and accessible to a wider audience. 

• This measure failed to pass this session. However, we were excited to see it pass the House, and will continue to work with the Senate to understand e-bike affordability and access issues.

SB 5452 - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Dept. of Natural Resources are directed to undergo a public process to collect information related to e-bike use on natural surface trails and roads that are limited to non-motorized use to determine where e-bikes can ride and which classes of e-bikes are acceptable on such roads and trails under the agencies' management. 

• Delivered to the Governor for signature

HB 1301 - Allows a regional transit authority (RTA) to establish an alternative fare enforcement system. This is a step towards decriminalization of transit fare enforcement. 

• HB 1301 has been signed by the Governor and will be enacted 7/25/2021

HB 1099  - Improving the state’s climate response through updates to the state’s comprehensive planning framework. 

• This measure passed the House, but failed to pass the Senate.

We are coming out of the 2021 session with increased funding for people who bike, walk and roll, but there is still so much work to be done. We’ll keep you posted for updates on a transportation investments proposal. There has been some talk that the Legislature might convene for a special session to pass a transportation investments package. 

In the meantime, our partners at Cascade are hosting our acclaimed Advocacy Leadership Institute, so apply today if you want to learn the skills needed to make your community an amazing place for folks biking, walking, and rolling.