SSB 5879 -
By Committee on Community & Economic Development & Trade
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 43.162.020 and 2007 c 232 s 4 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The Washington state economic development commission shall:
(((1))) (a) Concentrate its major efforts on planning,
coordination, evaluation, policy analysis, and recommending
improvements to the state's economic development system using, but not
limited to, the "Next Washington" plan and the global competitiveness
council recommendations;
(((2))) (b) Develop and maintain on a biennial basis a state
comprehensive plan for economic development, including but not limited
to:
(i) Goals, objectives, and priorities for the state economic
development system; ((identify))
(ii) Identification of the elements local associate development
organizations must include in their countywide economic development
plans; and
(iii) Review of the state system for consistency with the state
comprehensive plan. In developing the state comprehensive plan for
economic development, the commission shall use, but ((may not be)) is
not limited to: Economic, labor market, and populations trend reports
in office of financial management forecasts; the annual state economic
climate report prepared by the economic climate council; joint office
of financial management and employment security department labor force,
industry employment, and occupational forecasts; the results of
scientifically based outcome evaluations; the needs of industry
associations, industry clusters, businesses, and employees as evidenced
in formal surveys and other input;
(((3))) (c) Establish and maintain an inventory of the programs of
the state economic development system and related state programs,
including education, training, and technical assistance services and
programs serving entrepreneurs; perform a biennial assessment of the
ongoing and strategic economic development needs of the state; and
assess the extent to which the economic development system and related
programs are successful or underperforming in meeting these needs and
the extent to which they represent a consistent, coordinated,
efficient, and integrated approach to meet such needs; and
(((4))) (d) Produce a biennial report to the governor and the
legislature on progress by the commission in coordinating the state's
economic development system and meeting the other obligations of this
chapter, ((as well as include)) with recommendations for any statutory
changes necessary to enhance operational efficiencies or improve
coordination.
(2) The commission may delegate to the executive director any of
the functions of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) Within the appropriations provided for
the Washington state economic development commission and the workforce
training and education coordinating board, the commission and the board
shall jointly:
(a) Create an inventory of targeted education, training, and
technical assistance services and programs available in the state that
provide exclusively the skills and knowledge that entrepreneurs seek.
The inventory must include:
(i) A report of the numbers of individuals who have sought such
services or programs, and indicators of the scale of the business
ventures represented by those entrepreneurs;
(ii) A survey of those served by inventoried services and programs
to solicit their views regarding the merits and limitations of the
services and programs; and
(iii) Documentation of the amounts and sources of public funds
provided for the services and programs, and the benefits of the
services and programs;
(b) Evaluate practices from other governmental, educational, and
private entities to identify best practices that yield job creation,
business growth, and business expansion into new markets; and
(c) By December 1, 2009, produce a report to the appropriate
committees of the legislature and the director of the department of
community, trade, and economic development on the program inventory
required under this section, with:
(i) Identification of both successful and underperforming programs
or services, with recommendations for enhancement, consolidation, or
elimination of programs or services, as appropriate;
(ii) Recommendations on best practices for meeting the needs of
entrepreneurs; and
(iii) Identification of business climate concerns and regulatory
barriers identified by entrepreneurs.
(2) This section expires January 1, 2010."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: The amendment:
(1) Specifies that the Economic Development Commission's duty to
inventory the state's economic development programs includes
educational and technical assistance programs serving entrepreneurs and
an assessment of the extent that economic development programs are
successful or underperforming in meeting the state's economic
development needs;
(2) Requires, within the appropriations for the agencies, an
inventory of training and assistance programs in the state that provide
exclusively the skills and knowledge that entrepreneurs seek, to be
done jointly by the Commission and the Workforce Training and Education
Coordinating Board;
(3) Specifies that the inventory will report on the numbers of
individuals who have sought services and the scale of businesses
represented by them, will survey those served by the programs, and will
document the public resources used and the benefits of the programs;
(4) Requires the agencies to evaluate programs from other entities
and identify best practices;
(5) Deletes requirements for the Commission to distribute awards
for excellence in entrepreneurial and innovation training and
assistance;
(6) Requires a joint report by December 1, 2009, to the Legislature
and the Director of Community, Trade, and Economic Development with
recommendations on successful and underperforming programs and on best
practices, and identification of business climate concerns and barriers
identified by entrepreneurs; and
(7) Expires the new inventory requirement on January 1, 2010.