2018 State Legislative Agenda
Priority Agenda Items:
Workforce development: Support proposals to enhance state investments in workforce
development in the maritime, manufacturing, and industrial sectors. This may include possible
amendments to port statute to clarify the authority of port districts to continue to play a role in
workforce development in these sectors.
Transportation access to SeaTac Airport: Support funding for a partnership between the Port
of Seattle and the Washington State Department of Transportation to conduct a study of State
Route 518 to address current and future corridor needs related to increased regional
development that will affect transportation demand on that corridor.
Statewide tourism marketing: Support establishment of a statelevel entity charged with
promoting tourism in Washington state, to compete with similar statesupported tourism
marketing agencies in Idaho, Oregon, and around the country.
Land use: Provide detailed information to legislators and to House and Senate Committees on
the current land use issues facing Washington ports, with a specific focus on zoning issues
related to the Growth Management Act that may affect port competitiveness. This may include:
Proposals that are consistent with, but not limited to, the recommendations from the
state legislature's Spring 2016 Joint Task Force on the Economic Resilience of Maritime
and Manufacturing report;
Proposals that reflect the "Guiding Principles: Stewardship, Enhancement, and
Protection of Maritime and Manufacturing Lands" document that was adopted by the
Northwest Seaport Alliance on November 1, 2016; and
Any legislative changes that may impact the efficient functioning of statewide essential
public facilities




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2018 State Legislative Agenda
Priority Issue Areas: Quality Jobs and Small Business
Quality Jobs: Support proposals that are consistent with the Port's focus on bringing quality,
sustainable jobs to the region, including through proposals that:
Clarify the authority of port districts to pursue creative approaches to workforce, as well
any efforts to expand statelevel support for worker training programs in the aviation,
maritime, and manufacturing trades.
Support careerconnected and workbased learning programs that seek to expose
middle and highschool age students to professions in portrelated industries.
Expand and strengthen state support for apprenticeship programs 
Ensure responsible enforcement of labor standards.
Support rural economic development: Partner with the state and other ports and
economic development actors to promote rural economic development initiatives,
including rural broadband deployment, tourism promotion, support for small
manufacturers in rural Washington, investments in freight corridors in rural areas, and
other actions to support economic growth across Washington state.

Small Business: Support proposals that seek to provide equity in the workplace for
disadvantaged groups, and promote inclusion of small businesses, including disadvantaged,
minority, and women owned business enterprises (SMWBEs). This includes:
Continued support for the repeal of Initiative 200, and other policy proposals that seek
to achieve similar objectives.
Support for proposals that provide flexibility in contracting to public owners while
ensuring that contracting practices enfranchise SMWBEs.
Support proposals that enhance the opportunities for SMWBEs to more effectively
compete for small works projects.
Support business assistance programs at the statelevel that are focused on small
business capacity building, and help SMWBEs to compete in the government
marketplace.

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2018 State Legislative Agenda
Priority Issue Areas: Transportation
Closely monitor, and support continued funding of, state transportation projects that are
critical to Port of Seattle and Northwest Seaport Alliance operations, including the Puget Sound
Gateway Program (SR509/SR167), the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, State Route
518, and others.
Support proposals that speed the movement of freight and passengers from origin to
destination through seaport and airport facilities. This includes investments in freightrelated
infrastructure based on recommendations from the state's freight advisory committee and
Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, and consistent with a methodology developed
collectively by all members of that committee.
Support proposals that allow for creative approaches to infrastructure development and
funding, including potential expansion of authority of public owners to partner with private
entities, permitted that such proposals do not compromise public infrastructure.
Support proposals that clarify and affirm the authority of the Port Commission to control access
to port facilities by ground transportation service providers all transportation modes, including
private vehicle access, commercial ground transportation providers, and public transportation
providers, and promote fairness and equity among transportation service providers, in support
of responsible operation in all areas of regulation, including insurance, monitoring, safety, and
environmental standards
Support proposals intended to promote aviation safety while maintaining the authority of
airport operators to enforce their own rules and regulations at the facilities within their control.
Support state actions that promote resilience in the transportation network, and support
collaboration with other government agencies, including on issues of climate resilience.




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2018 State Legislative Agenda
Priority Issue Areas: Energy and Environment
Support and advocate for continued state investment in environmental cleanup programs and
statelevel policies that promote the adoption and implementation of clean energy sources to
reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuels and seek to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. That
includes:
Programs funded through the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) that assist Ports in their
efforts to promote environmental stewardship and support Washington State's pursuit
of a healthier Puget Sound, and efforts to stabilize the MTCA account to ensure long
term funding availability for core programs.
Work with state and local agencies on development of statewide mitigation plan for
funds from the national Volkswagen settlement. Support efforts that direct funds to
regionally significant projects, including projects that result in emissions reductions at
airports and seaports across the state.
Policies that promote use of clean energy technology and support a statewide reduction
in greenhouse gas emissions, and that can be implemented in ways: that leverage our
state's competitiveness; maintain the efficient operation of essential public facilities
such as airports and seaports; and support equity between our business partners.
Policies that promote the use of lowcarbon fuels for transportation, and otherwise
support the continued reduction in the cost of lowcarbon energy sources to consumers
in the state, including potential legislative changes to allow for electrification of large
scale transportation infrastructure.
State support for partnership with the Port on aviation biofuels, including statelevel
actions intended to drive development of biofuels within the state for use at instate
transportation facilities.
Support state actions that promote climate change resilience, and support collaboration
with other government agencies in this effort, including a focus on resilience within the
transportation network.
Policies that reduce carbon and air pollution emissions for passengers and employees
traveling to and from Port facilities, including promoting improving the efficient
efficiency of public transit transportation improvements, public transit, and increasing
the availability of low carbon fuels.

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2018 State Legislative Agenda
Priority Issue Areas: Tax and Governance
Tax: Support tax policies at the state level that support the economic health of portrelated
businesses and activities, including:
Policies that promote the efficient movement of freight and supports those
communities that house the warehousing and distribution infrastructure necessary to
enable the Port of Seattle, the Northwest Seaport Alliance, and its partner entities to
serve Washington State businesses, including in agriculture, manufacturing, and trade
sectors.
Policies that reduce the cost of manufacturing activities that support portrelated
businesses, including businesses that support the efficient functioning of Seattle
Tacoma International Airport and that incentivize construction of fishing vessels in
Washington State shipyards
Governance: Oppose legislation that would create an imbalance of representatives between
the two homeports in their governing of the Northwest Seaport Alliance. And further, advocate
that any legislative proposal that would alter the previously voter established governance
structure of either homeport include ratification by citizen vote within the respective homeport
district(s).







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