About ACCT
ACCT Mission
Reason ACCT Was Created
People With Special Transportation Needs
Voting Members
Legislative Members
ACCT Bylaws
New Legislation
Resolutions
ACCT Mission
The Agency Council on Coordinated Transportation (ACCT) is a Council of State agencies, transportation providers, consumer advocates, and legislators with the mission to:
- Promote the coordination of special needs transportation
- Provide a forum for discussing issues and initiating change
- Provide oversight and direction to the state's coordination agenda
- Report to the legislature and propose legislative remedies
Reason ACCT Was Created
The legislature found that transportation systems for persons with specials needs were not operated as efficiently as possible. Often people cannot access needed services because of transportation barriers. A structure was needed that could communicate across organizational boundaries and facilitate coordinated special needs transportation systems through collaborative state and community processes. To accomplish this, the Agency Council on Coordinated Transportation was created in the 1998 legislative session.
People With Special Transportation Needs
People with special transportation needs are defined in RCW 47.06B as people "including their personal attendants, who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation."
Voting Members
Nine voting members sit on the ACCT Council. They include three State agency representatives and six Governor appointment members who serve two-year terms.
State Agency Representatives
Governor Appointed Members
Legislative Members
The ACCT Council also consists of four non-voting legislative members. The legislators bring in a unique perspective of the legal framework around transportation planning to the discussion. The legislators are also in a strong position to influence law making to reduce barriers to coordinated transportation.
ACCT By-Laws
Article I -- Purpose
Article II -- Membership
Article III -- Meetings
Article IV -- Quorum
Article V -- Minutes
Article VI -- Change or Repeal of Internal Rules
Article VII -- Expenses of Council Members
Article VIII -- Working Groups and Committees
New Legislation
Olmstead Planning and Transportation
A 1999 decision by the Supreme Court regarding the placement of people with disabilities in community settings has led to ACCT working with Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as DSHS prepares its "Olmstead Plan" -- a plan for providing the services necessary to support people in community, rather than institutional settings. ACCT submitted a proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for project funding.
Chapter 47.06B RCW
Coordinating special needs transportation
RCW Sections
47.06B.010 Finding -- Intent.
47.06B.012 Definitions.
47.06B.020 Agency council on coordinated transportation -- Creation, membership, staff, meetings.
47.06B.030 Council -- Duties.
47.06B.040 Council -- Certification of regional transportation planning organization local plans.
47.06B.050 Council -- Progress report.
47.06B.900 Council--Termination.
47.06B.901 Repealer.
47.06B.010
Finding — Intent. (Effective until June 30, 2011.)
The legislature finds that transportation systems for persons with special needs are not operated as efficiently as possible. In too many cases, programs established by the legislature to assist persons with special needs can not be accessed due to these inefficiencies and coordination barriers.
It is the intent of the legislature that public transportation agencies, pupil transportation programs, private nonprofit transportation providers, and other public agencies sponsoring programs that require transportation services coordinate those transportation services. Through coordination of transportation services, programs will achieve increased efficiencies and will be able to provide more rides to a greater number of persons with special needs.
[2007 c 421 § 1; 1999 c 385 § 1; 1998 c 173 § 1.]
47.06B.012
Definitions. (Effective until June 30, 2008.)
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Persons with special transportation needs" means those persons, including their personal attendants, who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation.
(2) "Special needs coordinated transportation" is transportation for persons with special transportation needs that is developed through a collaborative community process involving transportation providers; human service programs and agencies; consumers; social, educational, and health service providers; employer and business representatives; employees and employee representatives; and other affected parties.
[1999 c 385 § 2.]
47.06B.020
Agency council on coordinated transportation — Creation, membership, staff, meetings. (Effective until June 30, 2011.)
(1) The agency council on coordinated transportation is created. The council is composed of ten voting members and four nonvoting, legislative members.
(2) The ten voting members are the superintendent of public instruction or a designee, the secretary of transportation or a designee, the secretary of the department of social and health services or a designee, and seven members appointed by the governor as follows:
(a) One representative from the office of the governor;
(b) Three persons who are consumers of special needs transportation services, which must include:
(i) One person designated by the executive director of the governor's committee on disability issues and employment; and
(ii) One person who is designated by the executive director of the developmental disabilities council;
(c) One representative from the Washington association of pupil transportation;
(d) One representative from the Washington state transit association; and
(e) One of the following:
(i) A representative from the community transportation association of the Northwest; or
(ii) A representative from the community action council association.
(3) The four nonvoting members are legislators as follows:
(a) Two members from the house of representatives, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including at least one member from the house transportation policy and budget committee or the house appropriations committee; and
(b) Two members from the senate, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by the president of the senate, including at least one member from the senate transportation committee or the senate ways and means committee.
(4) Gubernatorial appointees of the council will serve two-year terms. Members may not receive compensation for their service on the council, but will be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties as members as set forth in RCW 43.03.220.
(5) The secretary of transportation or a designee shall serve as the chair.
(6) The department of transportation shall provide necessary staff support for the council.
(7) The council may receive gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources that are made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the council and spend gifts, grants, or endowments or income from the public or private sources according to their terms, unless the receipt of the gifts, grants, or endowments violates RCW 42.17.710.
(8) The meetings of the council must be open to the public, with the agenda published in advance, and minutes kept and made available to the public. The public notice of the meetings must indicate that accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made available upon request.
(9) All meetings of the council must be held in locations that are readily accessible to public transportation, and must be scheduled for times when public transportation is available.
(10) The council shall make an effort to include presentations by and work sessions including persons with special transportation needs.
[2007 c 421 § 2; 1998 c 173 § 2.]
47.06B.030
Council — Duties. (Effective until June 30, 2011.)
(1) To assure implementation of an effective system of coordinated transportation that meets the needs of persons with special transportation needs, the agency council on coordinated transportation shall adopt a biennial work plan that must, at a minimum:
(a) Focus on projects that identify and address barriers in laws, policies, and procedures;
(b) Focus on results; and
(c) Identify and advocate for transportation system improvements for persons with special transportation needs.
(2) The council shall, as necessary, convene work groups at the state, regional, or local level to develop and implement coordinated approaches to special needs transportation.
(3) To improve the service experienced by persons with special transportation needs, the council shall develop statewide guidelines for customer complaint processes so that information about policies regarding the complaint processes is available consistently and consumers are appropriately educated about available options. To be eligible for funding on or after January 1, 2008, organizations applying for state paratransit/special needs grants as described in section 226(1), chapter 370, Laws of 2006 must implement a process following the guidelines established by the council.
(4) The council shall represent the needs and interests of persons with special transportation needs in statewide efforts for emergency and disaster preparedness planning by advising the emergency management council on how to address transportation needs for high-risk individuals during and after disasters.
[2007 c 421 § 3. Prior: 1999 c 385 § 5; (1999 c 372 § 13 repealed by 2007 c 421 § 10); 1998 c 173 § 3.]
47.06B.040
Council — Certification of regional transportation planning organization local plans. (Effective until June 30, 2011.)
The agency council on coordinated transportation shall review and recommend certification of local plans developed by regional transportation planning organizations based on meeting federal requirements. Each regional transportation planning organization must submit to the council an updated plan that includes the elements, consistent with federal planning requirements, identified by the council beginning on July 1, 2007, and every four years thereafter.
Each regional transportation planning organization must submit to the council every two years a prioritized regional human service and transportation project list.
[2007 c 421 § 4; 1999 c 385 § 6.]
47.06B.050
Council — Progress report. (Effective until June 30, 2011.)
The agency council on coordinated transportation shall submit a progress report on council activities to the legislature by December 1, 2009, and every other year thereafter. The report must describe the council's progress in attaining the applicable goals identified in the council's biennial work plan and highlight any problems encountered in achieving these goals. The information will be reported in a form established by the council.
[2007 c 421 § 6.]
47.06B.900
Council — Termination.
The agency council on coordinated transportation is terminated on June 30, 2010, as provided in RCW 47.06B.901.
[2007 c 421 § 8; 1999 c 385 § 7; 1998 c 173 § 6.]
47.06B.901
Repealer.
The following acts or parts of acts, as now existing or hereafter amended, are each repealed, effective June 30, 2011:
(1) RCW 47.06B.010 and 2007 c 421 § 1, 1999 c 385 § 1, & 1998 c 173 § 1;
(2) RCW 47.06B.012 and 1999 c 385 § 2;
(3) RCW 47.06B.020 and 2007 c 421 § 2 & 1998 c 173 § 2;
(4) RCW 47.06B.030 and 2007 c 421 § 3, 1999 c 385 § 5, & 1998 c 173 § 3;
(5) RCW 47.06B.040 and 2007 c 421 § 4 & 1999 c 385 § 6; and
(6) RCW 47.06B.050 and 2007 c 421 § 6.
[2007 c 421 § 9; 1999 c 385 § 8; 1998 c 173 § 7.]
Resolutions
Resolution 001-2004
Resolution 002-2004
