Passenger rail adv. comm.

AN ACT Relating to establishing a passenger rail advisory 1
committee; and adding a new section to chapter 47.79 RCW.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 47.79 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1)(a) The Washington state Amtrak Cascades passenger rail 6
advisory committee to the department is hereby established. The 7
legislative authorities of counties with a population of 750,000 or 8
greater in which there is a rail station on the Amtrak Cascades route 9
shall each appoint a delegation to consist of three members to serve 10
on the passenger rail advisory committee. 11
(b) The legislative authorities of other counties that contain a 12
rail station on the Amtrak Cascades route shall appoint a delegation 13
to consist of two members to serve on the passenger rail advisory 14
committee. 15
(2) The department shall conduct a review of community member 16
input on Amtrak Cascades service by soliciting and obtaining feedback 17
from local community groups in order to be properly informed about 18
challenges being experienced within the area served by the Amtrak 19
Cascades route. To promote local representation, the department shall 20
S-4159.1
SENATE BILL 6270
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Valdez, Hasegawa, Nobles, and Saldaña
Read first time 01/21/26. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
p. 1 SB 6270
give prior notice of the review to the passenger rail advisory 1
committee established in subsection (1) of this section.2
(3)(a) At least five people appointed to the passenger rail 3
advisory committee established in subsection (1) of this section 4
shall be representatives of an established passenger rail user group 5
or frequent users of the passenger rail system; at least one shall be 6
an individual or representative of a firm using or depending upon the 7
passenger rail corridor for commerce; and at least one member shall 8
be a representative of a local government planning body or its staff. 9
Each member shall reside in the vicinity of a passenger rail station 10
on the Amtrak Cascades route and within the county on whose 11
delegation the member sits. 12
(b)(i) The members of the passenger rail advisory committee shall 13
be appointed to four-year terms, except as provided in (b)(ii) of 14
this subsection (3). Any vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of 15
an unexpired term by the appointing authority. 16
(ii) The initial terms of each member of the passenger rail 17
advisory committee shall be staggered as follows: All terms shall 18
commence on July 1, 2026; for delegations with three members, two 19
members of the delegation's terms expire July 1, 2028, and one member 20
of the delegation's term expires July 1, 2030; and for delegations 21
with two members, one member of the delegation's term expires July 1, 22
2028, and one member of the delegation's term expires July 1, 2030. 23
Each appointing legislative authority shall designate the term length 24
to be served by each initial appointee. 25
(4) The passenger rail advisory committee established in 26
subsection (1) of this section shall meet three times each year with 27
representatives of the rail, freight, and ports division of the 28
department to review passenger rail concerns. The committee shall 29
appoint three cochairs by majority vote of the committee members and 30
they shall constitute an executive committee of the Washington state 31
Amtrak Cascades passenger rail advisory committee. The executive 32
committee shall meet with the designated representatives of the rail, 33
freight, and ports division of the department to determine the agenda 34
for passenger rail advisory committee meetings based on input from 35
the committee as a whole. 36
(5) The delegates to be appointed by the county legislative 37
authorities shall serve without fee or compensation.38
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p. 2 SB 6270