Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Local Government Committee
HB 2052
Brief Description: Concerning contracts with community service organizations for public improvements.
Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Santos, Eslick and Simmons.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Expands the projects for which a municipality may contract with a service organization or other association without regard to competitive bidding laws for public works.
  • Changes the consideration to be received by the public entity from at least three times the value of the payment to at least two times the value of the payment.
Hearing Date: 1/25/22
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

A county, city, town, school district, metropolitan park district, park and recreation district, port district, or park and recreation service area may, without regard to competitive bidding laws for public works, contract with a chamber of commerce; a service organization; a community, youth, or athletic association; or other similar association located and providing service in its immediate neighborhood for:  drawing design plans; making improvements to a park, school playground, public square, or port habitat site; installing equipment or artworks; or providing maintenance services for a facility or facilities such as a community or neighborhood project, or environmental stewardship project.

 

The contracting association may be reimbursed for its expenses.  The contracting association may use volunteers in the project and provide them with clothing or tools, meals or refreshments, accident or injury insurance coverage, and reimbursement of their expenses.  The consideration to be received by the public entity through the value of the projects must have a value at least equal to three times that of the payment to the contracting association. 
Summary of Bill:

The projects for which a county, city, town, school district, metropolitan park district, park and recreation district, port district, or park and recreation service area may contract without regard to competitive bidding laws are expanded to include making improvements to other public spaces and providing maintenance for equipment or artworks.  "Environmental stewardship project" is changed to an "environmental justice stewardship or sustainability project".  The consideration to be received by the public entity the projects must have a value at least equal to two times the payment to the contracting association.

 

The contracting association may use volunteers to whom no wage or salary compensation is paid.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 24, 2022.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.