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• Introduced by Rep. Hans Dunshee, (Snohomish) (D) on February 9, 2011, to provide financing assistance to local governments to help them respond to the demands for infrastructure improvement, repair, and expansion related to health, safety, and the environment by creating an infrastructure bank that will provide local government with credit support. The bill creates the local infrastructure assistance account and requires the state treasurer, at least twice a year, to distribute money in the account to all counties on the basis of population. (Companion: SB 5745).
  • Referred to the House Capital Budget Committee on February 9, 2011.
    • Substitute offered in the House on February 21, 2011, removes provisions related to distributing public utility and solid waste collection tax revenues to counties and the use of those revenues at the local level; allows any local government to pursue a contingent loan agreement with the State Treasurer and a related loan from the Board; removes provisions authorizing the Board to make grants; and, maintains the addition of flood control levees to the list of eligible public works projects but removes streets, roads, and bridges from the current law list of eligible public works projects. The substitute bill also: retains the current law requirement that the annual construction loan list receive legislative approval and the current law terminology such as "public works project" rather than "infrastructure project;" removes the requirement that the Board consider a project's energy efficiency, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certification or green building status when prioritizing projects; and removes provisions authorizing ongoing appropriations from the Account to the Department of Ecology programs. The substitute bill adds a new condition: on a public works project for which an investment grade audit is available, the local government must have received such an audit in order to be eligible for a loan or contingent loan agreement. The substitute bill also retains the membership changes made to the Board and the CERB.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 23, 2011.
  • Referred to the House Capital Budget Committee on January 12, 2012.