SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5518

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

   Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation, February 24, 1999

Title:  An act relating to community outdoor athletic fields.

Brief Description:  Establishing a community outdoor athletic fields board and account to provide assistance with the repair, maintenance, or construction of community athletic fields.

Sponsors:  Senators Jacobsen, Eide, Goings and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  2/1/99, 2/24/99 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5518 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Rossi, Snyder, Spanel and Stevens.

Staff:  David Johnson (786-7754)

Background:  Public outdoor athletic fields lack a central source of funding and support.  The growth and urbanization Washington has been experiencing has put increased demands on the state's outdoor athletic fields.  There is a perceived need for a permanent funding source and source of support to help communities better keep and build more outdoor athletic fields.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  No or low interest loans are authorized to be made from the youth athletic facilities account, not just grants.

If any municipality allows a community outdoor athletic field to be used for another incompatible use, then the municipality must designate twice the amount of land as a replacement.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute rewrote the bill to expand authority of an existing program from simply grants to also include loans.  It also added the requirement on cities to replace twice any lost athletic fields.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 27, 1999.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  There is a significant need for more places to play, especially for less common sports.  More people live here and are playing sports than in the past, yet playing fields have not increased.  More fields improve the standard of living and will attract jobs.  This will be a catalyst for private organizations to work with government to build more.

Testimony Against:  Funding needs to be addressed from a different source.

Testified:  Scott Sotebeer, Friends of Athletic=s Fields; Judy Yu, Soccer More; PRO:  Peter Lukevich; Joey Gray; Herbye White, Michael Merriam, City of Seattle, Dept. of Parks and Recreation; Mark Robison, Seattle Youth Soccer; Jorge Barrera, Pro Parks; Kevin Garder, Donald W. Baker, Robert Young, Lake Washington Youth Soccer; CON:  Jean Ameluxen, CTED; Laura Johnson, IAC.