Passenger-only ferries

AN ACT Relating to increasing the availability of passenger-only 1
ferries by establishing the mosquito fleet act; amending RCW 2
36.57A.222; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092 and 43.84.092; 3
adding a new chapter to Title 36 RCW; creating new sections; 4
providing effective dates; providing an expiration date; and 5
declaring an emergency. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Passenger-only ferry service is the 8
fastest way to get boats on the water and build the capacity 9
necessary to respond to Washington state ferries' service 10
disruptions, which will alleviate the negative impacts that those 11
disruptions and cancellations have on the people of Washington state. 12
Increased passenger-only ferry service will also ensure reliable 13
access to health care, education, and work for communities that are 14
dependent on ferry service.15
Bolstering passenger-only ferry capacity ahead of the FIFA world 16
cup will help to ensure its success and bridge the gap in ferry 17
capacity before the next Washington state ferries procurement cycle 18
puts boats in the water. This will help tourism-dependent small 19
businesses across the state, while honoring our state's commitment to 20
environmental progress and helping Washingtonians travel and connect 21
H-1184.3
HOUSE BILL 1923
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Nance, Berry, Fitzgibbon, Simmons, Richards,
Thomas, Scott, Parshley, Pollet, Shavers, and Davis
Read first time 02/10/25. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
p. 1 HB 1923
without driving. Increased passenger-only ferry service will also 1
support workforce development, by creating a workforce pipeline of 2
hard-working mariners who can upgrade their licenses to take on 3
larger vessels, including Washington state ferries and private sector 4
opportunities. 5
The legislature, therefore, finds that additional passenger-only 6
ferry service is necessary in order to improve the lives of all 7
Washingtonians, while also honoring Washington's maritime heritage 8
and the original mosquito fleet that helped build the Washington we 9
love. 10
Sec. 2. RCW 36.57A.222 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 44 s 313 are each 11
amended to read as follows: 12
(1) A governing body of a county under Title 36 RCW, a port 13
district under Title 53 RCW, a public transportation benefit area ((, 14
located in a county that only borders the western side of Puget Sound 15
with a population of more than two hundred thousand and contains one 16
or more Washington state ferries terminals )) under chapter 36.57A 17
RCW, a city transit system under RCW 35.58.2721, a county 18
transportation authority under chapter 36.57 RCW, a metropolitan 19
municipal corporation transit system under chapter 36.56 RCW, an 20
unincorporated transportation benefit area under RCW 36.57.100, or a 21
regional transit authority under chapter 81.112 RCW, that borders or 22
contains a navigable body of water , may establish one or more 23
passenger-only ferry service districts within all or a portion of the 24
boundaries of the ((public transportation benefit area )) entity 25
establishing the passenger-only ferry service district. A passenger-26
only ferry service district may include all or a portion of a city or 27
town as long as all or a portion of the city or town boundaries are 28
within the boundaries of the establishing ((public transportation 29
benefit area )) entity. The members of the ((public transportation 30
benefit area )) governing body of the entity proposing to establish 31
the passenger-only ferry service district, acting ex officio and 32
independently, constitutes the governing body of the passenger-only 33
ferry service district. 34
(2) A passenger-only ferry service district may establish, 35
finance, and provide passenger-only ferry service, and associated 36
services to support and augment passenger-only ferry service 37
operation, within its boundaries in the same manner as authorized for 38
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((public transportation benefit areas under this chapter )) the entity 1
establishing the district. 2
(3) A passenger-only ferry service district constitutes a body 3
corporate and possesses all the usual powers of a corporation for 4
public purposes as well as all other powers that may be conferred by 5
statute including, but not limited to, the authority to hire 6
employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, to acquire, 7
hold, and dispose of real and personal property, and to sue and be 8
sued. Public works contract limits applicable to the ((public 9
transportation benefit area )) entity that established the passenger-10
only ferry service district apply to the district. For purposes of 11
this section, "passenger-only ferry service district" means a quasi-12
municipal corporation and independent taxing authority within the 13
meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a 14
taxing district within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the 15
state Constitution, created by the ((legislative)) governing body of 16
a county under Title 36 RCW, a port district under Title 53 RCW, a 17
public transportation benefit area under chapter 36.57A RCW, a city 18
transit system under RCW 35.58.2721, a county transportation 19
authority under chapter 36.57 RCW, a metropolitan municipal 20
corporation transit system under chapter 36.56 RCW, an unincorporated 21
transportation benefit area under RCW 36.57.100, or a regional 22
transit authority under chapter 81.112 RCW. 23
(4) Before a passenger-only ferry service district may provide 24
passenger-only ferry service, it must develop a passenger-only ferry 25
investment plan, including elements: To operate or contract for the 26
operation of passenger-only ferry services; to purchase, lease, or 27
rent ferry vessels and dock facilities for the provision of transit 28
service; and to identify other activities necessary to implement the 29
plan. The plan must set forth terminal locations to be served, 30
projected costs of providing services, and revenues to be generated 31
from tolls, locally collected tax revenues, and other revenue 32
sources. The plan must ensure that services provided under the plan 33
are for the benefit of the residents of the passenger-only ferry 34
service district. The passenger-only ferry service district may use 35
any of its powers to carry out this purpose, unless otherwise 36
prohibited by law. In addition, the passenger-only ferry service 37
district may enter into: Contracts and agreements to operate 38
passenger-only ferry service; public-private partnerships; and 39
design-build, general contractor/construction management, or other 40
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alternative procurement processes substantially consistent with 1
chapter 39.10 RCW. 2
(5) A passenger-only ferry service district may be dissolved by a 3
majority vote of the governing body when all obligations under any 4
general obligation bonds issued by the passenger-only ferry service 5
district have been discharged and any other contractual obligations 6
of the passenger-only ferry service district have either been 7
discharged or assumed by another governmental entity.8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The local passenger-only ferry account is 9
created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent 10
only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used 11
only for (1) the grants provided under section 4 of this act, and (2) 12
those expenses of the county road administration board associated 13
with the administration of the local passenger-only ferry grant 14
program.15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The county road administration board 16
shall:17
(1) Establish a local passenger-only ferry grant program. The 18
purpose of the grant program is to provide passenger-only ferry 19
service districts created pursuant to RCW 36.57A.222 with grants for:20
(a) The purchase of used passenger-only ferry vessels and the 21
construction, rehabilitation, or improvement of associated docking 22
facilities; 23
(b) The operation and maintenance of passenger-only ferry 24
vessels; and 25
(c) Feasibility studies regarding potential passenger-only ferry 26
service routes; 27
(2) Adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of this 28
chapter relating to the allocation of funds in the passenger-only 29
ferry account; and 30
(3) Include a program status report in the county road 31
administration board's annual report to the appropriate committees of 32
the legislature as provided in RCW 36.78.070. 33
Sec. 5. RCW 43.84.092 and 2024 c 210 s 4 and 2024 c 168 s 12 are 34
each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 35
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(1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state 1
treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which 2
account is hereby established in the state treasury.3
(2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or 4
receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the 5
federal cash management improvement act of 1990. The treasury income 6
account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no 7
appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest 8
earnings required by the cash management improvement act. Refunds of 9
interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management 10
improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require 11
appropriation. The office of financial management shall determine the 12
amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash 13
management improvement act. The office of financial management may 14
direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to 15
implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and 16
this subsection. Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the 17
distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this 18
section. 19
(3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury 20
income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking 21
services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, 22
depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state 23
treasury and affected state agencies. The treasury income account is 24
subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is 25
required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur 26
prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this 27
section. 28
(4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings 29
credited to the treasury income account. The state treasurer shall 30
credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the 31
treasury income account except: 32
(a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their 33
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's 34
average daily balance for the period: The abandoned recreational 35
vehicle disposal account, the aeronautics account, the Alaskan Way 36
viaduct replacement project account, the ambulance transport fund, 37
the budget stabilization account, the capital vessel replacement 38
account, the capitol building construction account, the Central 39
Washington University capital projects account, the charitable, 40
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educational, penal and reformatory institutions account, the Chehalis 1
basin account, the Chehalis basin taxable account, the clean fuels 2
credit account, the clean fuels transportation investment account, 3
the cleanup settlement account, the climate active transportation 4
account, the climate transit programs account, the Columbia river 5
basin water supply development account, the Columbia river basin 6
taxable bond water supply development account, the Columbia river 7
basin water supply revenue recovery account, the common school 8
construction fund, the community forest trust account, the connecting 9
Washington account, the county arterial preservation account, the 10
county criminal justice assistance account, the covenant 11
homeownership account, the deferred compensation administrative 12
account, the deferred compensation principal account, the department 13
of licensing services account, the department of retirement systems 14
expense account, the developmental disabilities community services 15
account, the diesel idle reduction account, the opioid abatement 16
settlement account, the drinking water assistance account, the 17
administrative subaccount of the drinking water assistance account, 18
the early learning facilities development account, the early learning 19
facilities revolving account, the Eastern Washington University 20
capital projects account, the education construction fund, the 21
education legacy trust account, the election account, the electric 22
vehicle account, the energy freedom account, the energy recovery act 23
account, the essential rail assistance account, The Evergreen State 24
College capital projects account, the fair start for kids account, 25
the family medicine workforce development account, the ferry bond 26
retirement fund, the fish, wildlife, and conservation account, the 27
freight mobility investment account, the freight mobility multimodal 28
account, the grade crossing protective fund, the higher education 29
retirement plan supplemental benefit fund, the Washington student 30
loan account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway 31
infrastructure account, the highway safety fund, the hospital safety 32
net assessment fund, the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project 33
account, the Interstate 405 and state route number 167 express toll 34
lanes account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial 35
retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal 36
account, the limited fish and wildlife account, the local leasehold 37
excise tax account, the local passenger-only ferry account, the local 38
real estate excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, 39
the marine resources stewardship trust account, the medical aid 40
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account, the money-purchase retirement savings administrative 1
account, the money-purchase retirement savings principal account, the 2
motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the move 3
ahead WA account, the move ahead WA flexible account, the multimodal 4
transportation account, the multiuse roadway safety account, the 5
municipal criminal justice assistance account, the oyster reserve 6
land account, the pension funding stabilization account, the 7
perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the pilotage account, 8
the pollution liability insurance agency underground storage tank 9
revolving account, the public employees' retirement system plan 1 10
account, the public employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 11
plan 3 account, the public facilities construction loan revolving 12
account, the public health supplemental account, the public works 13
assistance account, the Puget Sound capital construction account, the 14
Puget Sound ferry operations account, the Puget Sound Gateway 15
facility account, the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account, 16
the real estate appraiser commission account, the recreational 17
vehicle account, the regional mobility grant program account, the 18
reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund, the resource 19
management cost account, the rural arterial trust account, the rural 20
mobility grant program account, the rural Washington loan fund, the 21
second injury fund, the sexual assault prevention and response 22
account, the site closure account, the skilled nursing facility 23
safety net trust fund, the small city pavement and sidewalk account, 24
the special category C account, the special wildlife account, the 25
state hazard mitigation revolving loan account, the state investment 26
board expense account, the state investment board commingled trust 27
fund accounts, the state patrol highway account, the state 28
reclamation revolving account, the state route number 520 civil 29
penalties account, the state route number 520 corridor account, the 30
statewide broadband account, the statewide tourism marketing account, 31
the supplemental pension account, the Tacoma Narrows toll bridge 32
account, the teachers' retirement system plan 1 account, the 33
teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the 34
tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco settlement 35
account, the toll facility bond retirement account, the 36
transportation 2003 account (nickel account), the transportation 37
equipment fund, the JUDY transportation future funding program 38
account, the transportation improvement account, the transportation 39
improvement board bond retirement account, the transportation 40
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infrastructure account, the transportation partnership account, the 1
traumatic brain injury account, the tribal opioid prevention and 2
treatment account, the University of Washington bond retirement fund, 3
the University of Washington building account, the voluntary cleanup 4
account, the volunteer firefighters' relief and pension principal 5
fund, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' 6
administrative fund, the vulnerable roadway user education account, 7
the Washington judicial retirement system account, the Washington law 8
enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 1 retirement 9
account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' 10
system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington public safety 11
employees' plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school 12
employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the 13
Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State 14
University building account, the Washington State University bond 15
retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving administration 16
account, the water pollution control revolving fund, the Western 17
Washington University capital projects account, the Yakima integrated 18
plan implementation account, the Yakima integrated plan 19
implementation revenue recovery account, and the Yakima integrated 20
plan implementation taxable bond account. Earnings derived from 21
investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal 22
school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the 23
scientific permanent fund, and the state university permanent fund 24
shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.25
(b) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts 26
or funds not statutorily required to be held in the state treasury 27
that deposits funds into a fund or account in the state treasury 28
pursuant to an agreement with the office of the state treasurer shall 29
receive its proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's 30
or fund's average daily balance for the period. 31
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state 32
Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated 33
earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.34
Sec. 6. RCW 43.84.092 and 2024 c 210 s 5 and 2024 c 168 s 13 are 35
each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 36
(1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state 37
treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which 38
account is hereby established in the state treasury.39
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(2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or 1
receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the 2
federal cash management improvement act of 1990. The treasury income 3
account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no 4
appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest 5
earnings required by the cash management improvement act. Refunds of 6
interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management 7
improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require 8
appropriation. The office of financial management shall determine the 9
amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash 10
management improvement act. The office of financial management may 11
direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to 12
implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and 13
this subsection. Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the 14
distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this 15
section. 16
(3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury 17
income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking 18
services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, 19
depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state 20
treasury and affected state agencies. The treasury income account is 21
subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is 22
required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur 23
prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this 24
section. 25
(4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings 26
credited to the treasury income account. The state treasurer shall 27
credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the 28
treasury income account except: 29
(a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their 30
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's 31
average daily balance for the period: The abandoned recreational 32
vehicle disposal account, the aeronautics account, the Alaskan Way 33
viaduct replacement project account, the budget stabilization 34
account, the capital vessel replacement account, the capitol building 35
construction account, the Central Washington University capital 36
projects account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory 37
institutions account, the Chehalis basin account, the Chehalis basin 38
taxable account, the clean fuels credit account, the clean fuels 39
transportation investment account, the cleanup settlement account, 40
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the climate active transportation account, the climate transit 1
programs account, the Columbia river basin water supply development 2
account, the Columbia river basin taxable bond water supply 3
development account, the Columbia river basin water supply revenue 4
recovery account, the common school construction fund, the community 5
forest trust account, the connecting Washington account, the county 6
arterial preservation account, the county criminal justice assistance 7
account, the covenant homeownership account, the deferred 8
compensation administrative account, the deferred compensation 9
principal account, the department of licensing services account, the 10
department of retirement systems expense account, the developmental 11
disabilities community services account, the diesel idle reduction 12
account, the opioid abatement settlement account, the drinking water 13
assistance account, the administrative subaccount of the drinking 14
water assistance account, the early learning facilities development 15
account, the early learning facilities revolving account, the Eastern 16
Washington University capital projects account, the education 17
construction fund, the education legacy trust account, the election 18
account, the electric vehicle account, the energy freedom account, 19
the energy recovery act account, the essential rail assistance 20
account, The Evergreen State College capital projects account, the 21
fair start for kids account, the family medicine workforce 22
development account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the fish, 23
wildlife, and conservation account, the freight mobility investment 24
account, the freight mobility multimodal account, the grade crossing 25
protective fund, the higher education retirement plan supplemental 26
benefit fund, the Washington student loan account, the highway bond 27
retirement fund, the highway infrastructure account, the highway 28
safety fund, the hospital safety net assessment fund, the Interstate 29
5 bridge replacement project account, the Interstate 405 and state 30
route number 167 express toll lanes account, the judges' retirement 31
account, the judicial retirement administrative account, the judicial 32
retirement principal account, the limited fish and wildlife account, 33
the local leasehold excise tax account, the local passenger-only 34
ferry account, the local real estate excise tax account, the local 35
sales and use tax account, the marine resources stewardship trust 36
account, the medical aid account, the money-purchase retirement 37
savings administrative account, the money-purchase retirement savings 38
principal account, the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety 39
education account, the move ahead WA account, the move ahead WA 40
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flexible account, the multimodal transportation account, the multiuse 1
roadway safety account, the municipal criminal justice assistance 2
account, the oyster reserve land account, the pension funding 3
stabilization account, the perpetual surveillance and maintenance 4
account, the pilotage account, the pollution liability insurance 5
agency underground storage tank revolving account, the public 6
employees' retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' 7
retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the public 8
facilities construction loan revolving account, the public health 9
supplemental account, the public works assistance account, the Puget 10
Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations 11
account, the Puget Sound Gateway facility account, the Puget Sound 12
taxpayer accountability account, the real estate appraiser commission 13
account, the recreational vehicle account, the regional mobility 14
grant program account, the reserve officers' relief and pension 15
principal fund, the resource management cost account, the rural 16
arterial trust account, the rural mobility grant program account, the 17
rural Washington loan fund, the second injury fund, the sexual 18
assault prevention and response account, the site closure account, 19
the skilled nursing facility safety net trust fund, the small city 20
pavement and sidewalk account, the special category C account, the 21
special wildlife account, the state hazard mitigation revolving loan 22
account, the state investment board expense account, the state 23
investment board commingled trust fund accounts, the state patrol 24
highway account, the state reclamation revolving account, the state 25
route number 520 civil penalties account, the state route number 520 26
corridor account, the statewide broadband account, the statewide 27
tourism marketing account, the supplemental pension account, the 28
Tacoma Narrows toll bridge account, the teachers' retirement system 29
plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and 30
plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the 31
tobacco settlement account, the toll facility bond retirement 32
account, the transportation 2003 account (nickel account), the 33
transportation equipment fund, the JUDY transportation future funding 34
program account, the transportation improvement account, the 35
transportation improvement board bond retirement account, the 36
transportation infrastructure account, the transportation partnership 37
account, the traumatic brain injury account, the tribal opioid 38
prevention and treatment account, the University of Washington bond 39
retirement fund, the University of Washington building account, the 40
p. 11 HB 1923
voluntary cleanup account, the volunteer firefighters' relief and 1
pension principal fund, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve 2
officers' administrative fund, the vulnerable roadway user education 3
account, the Washington judicial retirement system account, the 4
Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 1 5
retirement account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and 6
firefighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington public 7
safety employees' plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school 8
employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the 9
Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State 10
University building account, the Washington State University bond 11
retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving administration 12
account, the water pollution control revolving fund, the Western 13
Washington University capital projects account, the Yakima integrated 14
plan implementation account, the Yakima integrated plan 15
implementation revenue recovery account, and the Yakima integrated 16
plan implementation taxable bond account. Earnings derived from 17
investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal 18
school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the 19
scientific permanent fund, and the state university permanent fund 20
shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.21
(b) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts 22
or funds not statutorily required to be held in the state treasury 23
that deposits funds into a fund or account in the state treasury 24
pursuant to an agreement with the office of the state treasurer shall 25
receive its proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's 26
or fund's average daily balance for the period. 27
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state 28
Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated 29
earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.30
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 3 and 4 of this act constitute a 31
new chapter in Title 36 RCW.32
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act may be known and cited as the 33
mosquito fleet act.34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Section 5 of this act expires July 1, 35
2028.36
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Section 6 of this act takes effect July 1
1, 2028.2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 5 and 7 through 9 of 3
this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 4
peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its 5
existing public institutions, and take effect July 1, 2025.6
--- END ---
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