The Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 13 reviewed the committee’s operating procedures for the 2025 session and heard a brief overview from the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) on its role, studies and resources available to legislators.

Kelly Simpson, committee staff, told members the committee will generally follow Senate rules that require five days’ notice for public hearings and at least two days’ notice for executive sessions where the committee might vote. Simpson also explained the committee’s amendment deadlines: members should notify committee staff by noon the day before an executive session if they plan to offer an amendment, and the amendments will be posted in the electronic bill book by 7 p.m. that evening, subject to chair and ranking member waiver.

Simpson described the signature voting process used in the Senate: when a bill is verbally voted out of committee, staff will circulate majority and minority report signature sheets around the dais; a majority report requires a majority of the full committee membership to sign (10 of 19 members on this committee). If the majority and minority reports are not fully signed, Senate rules require a 24‑hour hold on the bill before it can advance. “Please don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions about the process or any of the rules,” Simpson told members.

Senator Curtis King, the committee ranking member, reinforced the amendment guidance and urged members to submit amendments early where possible, saying late amendments “put a strain on our staff.”

Dave Katterson, committee coordinator for the Joint Transportation Committee, summarized the JTC’s statutory role as a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that conducts transportation studies and produces the biennial Transportation Resource Manual. Katterson said the JTC conducts studies assigned typically through budget provisos, hires consultants when needed, holds four to six meetings per year (often outside Olympia), runs an annual fall tour and maintains the Transportation Resource Manual, which the staff recently updated and will post online; print copies are available on request.

Katterson introduced JTC staff members who support studies, tours and the manual. Lisonbee Cummings and Paul Neal were among the JTC staff introduced; Rachel Dean, the newest staffer, finished the manual update and planned the committee tour. Sonia Plasencia, the committee accountant, noted she will assist members with travel reimbursements for JTC activities.

The briefing was intended to orient newer members to committee procedures, JTC services and the Transportation Resource Manual as a resource for legislators and local governments.