S-1171.1
SENATE BILL 5667
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senators Valdez, Nobles, Chapman, Lovelett, Pedersen, Shewmake, and Slatter
Read first time 02/05/25. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to establishing intercity passenger rail improvement priorities; and adding a new section to chapter 47.79 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 47.79 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The legislature recognizes that intercity passenger rail is an integral part of the state's transportation system and is critical to the state's ability to meet the climate, public health, equity, and mobility goals of the state as it continues to experience growth. The legislature finds that intercity passenger rail is a highly efficient mode of transportation that connects small towns and major urban centers, and that the improvement of intercity passenger rail service through improvements to trip times, frequency, and reliability can enhance local economies and increase mobility options for Washington residents. Therefore, the legislature intends to reemphasize the need to prioritize the improvement of intercity passenger rail in the state by establishing updated targets for the department to use as it develops future plans for the Amtrak Cascades route, and by requiring clear communication about the factors that influence what is achievable so that they can be properly evaluated and, where possible, addressed.