03/01/2005 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

            HB 115-AIRPORT CUSTOMER FACILITY CHARGES                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:42:15 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGGINS  announced HB 115  to be up for  consideration. The                                                               
committee would consider Version \I.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. JOSH APPLEBEE, staff to  Representative Tom Anderson, advised                                                               
the committee substitute  for HB 115 is the same  as SB 92, which                                                               
has already been through a full hearing in the Senate.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY asked  whether there were any  differences in the                                                               
two bills.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SHERYL SUTTON, staff to  Senator Ben Stevens, testified there                                                               
is no difference between the bills.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:45:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked Ms. Sutton  for clarification of changes                                                               
to Section 1.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. SUTTON  stated there were  no substantive changes  other than                                                               
word housekeeping and an effective date.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  noted "uniform customer facility  charge" was                                                               
controversial  wording initially  but  is now  being deleted.  He                                                               
asked whether it was moved to a different section.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. SUTTON said yes. The  customer facility charge was already in                                                               
place in  statute and  there is  a new charge  added, which  is a                                                               
maintenance charge.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:46:46 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR THERRIAULT  asked whether it  was specifically for  a car                                                               
rental space.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. SUTTON advised it deals with  the car rental facility and the                                                               
maintenance aspects within.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:48:56 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. APPLEBEE  summarized in 2001  the Legislature  passed Chapter                                                               
99 SLE 2001 authorizing the  use of the customer facility charges                                                               
to  fund improvements  to airport  facilities  state owned  land.                                                               
Language needed to be tightened up for security of bonding.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT asked  Mr. Applebee  whether  a person  could                                                               
avoid the charge by going off site.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. APPLEBEE said yes.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:51:44 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR THERRIAULT  asked the reason  for taking state  action to                                                               
raise the revenue to pay for the bond.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  APPLEBEE  said when  selling  bonds  for construction  there                                                               
needs to be security.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. MARK  PFEFFER, Venture Development Group,  said the companies                                                               
are prohibited from setting charges to  do a project of this type                                                               
on their own because of anti trust laws.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  KIP   KNUDSON,  Department  of  Transportation   and  Public                                                               
Facilities  (DOTPF), informed  there have  been a  great deal  of                                                               
investment in legal  counsel and economic analysis  and the DOTPF                                                               
is in support of the bill.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. JOHN STEINER, attorney general's  office, clarified HB 115 is                                                               
not limited the rental car parking facility.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:57:45 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGGINS reiterated there is a process for new rental car                                                                  
companies to become part of the vendor process.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:59:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR COWDERY moved SCS CSHB 115(TRA) from committee with                                                                     
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There                                                                   
being no objection, the motion carried. #                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee,                                                                   
Chair Huggins adjourned the meeting at 3:00:28 PM.