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WashingtonSB 59222025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Authorizing transportation vehicle fund transfers.

Sponsored By: Lisa Wellman (Democratic)

Became Law

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Dedicated fund for school buses

Each district has a transportation vehicle fund held by the county treasurer. Money includes the balance on September 1, 1982 for approved vehicle purchases, most state bus reimbursements (not those meant to pay private carriers), investment earnings, and the district’s share of vehicle sale proceeds. Educational service districts that run student transportation keep a separate account for these dollars. Districts can use the fund to buy buses, pay contracts or major repairs, plan a shift to electric or zero‑emission buses, install charging or fueling stations, and convert existing buses to zero‑emission.

State reimbursements for school buses

The state superintendent sets a yearly schedule to pay districts for student transportation vehicles bought after September 1, 1982. Payments use vehicle category, expected life, and the state rate plus inflation. Over the vehicle’s life, payments and investment earnings are designed to cover replacement cost minus salvage value. The superintendent updates the schedule at least once a year. For districts that hire private carriers, the state also sets a straight-line depreciation payment schedule based on the vehicle’s original cost and category.

Penalties for poor bus maintenance

Districts must keep buses to accepted maintenance and operation standards. If they do not, the state cuts future reimbursements. The cut equals the bus’s original cost times the share of its useful life or miles that it failed to operate.

Transfers allowed only when fleets shrink

A district that reduces its overall fleet by skipping a replacement can ask the state superintendent to move depreciation payments and interest from a fully depreciated vehicle to another fund. The superintendent must approve and find the fleet cut appropriate, such as when enrollment is forecast to decline. Outside this narrow case, districts cannot move money from the transportation vehicle fund to other funds. The superintendent sets rules for how the vehicle fund is created and used.

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Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Lisa Wellman

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Drew Hansen

    Democratic • Senate

  • Noel Frame

    Democratic • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 108 • No: 38

House vote • 3/4/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 59 • No: 38 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 2/12/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 6/11/2026.

    3/16/2026Senate

  2. Chapter 71, 2026 Laws.

    3/16/2026Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    3/16/2026legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    3/9/2026legislature

  5. President signed.

    3/5/2026legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    3/5/2026legislature

  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 59; nays, 38; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    3/4/2026Senate

  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/4/2026Senate

  9. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    3/3/2026Senate

  10. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    3/2/2026Senate

  11. Minority; without recommendation.

    2/27/2026Senate

  12. Minority; do not pass.

    2/27/2026Senate

  13. APP - Majority; do pass.

    2/27/2026Senate

  14. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    2/27/2026Senate

  15. First reading, referred to Appropriations.

    2/14/2026Senate

  16. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    2/12/2026Senate

  17. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    2/12/2026Senate

  18. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    2/10/2026Senate

  19. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    1/15/2026Senate

  20. EDU - Majority; do pass.

    1/14/2026Senate

  21. First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.

    1/12/2026Senate

  22. Prefiled for introduction.

    12/19/2025Senate

Bill Text

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