The State Capitol Committee (SCC) was established by the Legislature in 1921.  The members of the SCC are the Governor, or the Governor's designee, the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Commissioner of Public Lands (ex officio).  The SCC oversees the governance of the capitol campus and all state facilities in Thurston County, with day-to-day management provided by the Department of Enterprise Services (DES).  

The SCC is responsible for:

• approving construction of all state buildings in Thurston County;
• approving acquisition of real estate for state government in Thurston County; and
• providing policy direction to the DES in the stewardship, preservation, operation, and maintenance of the state capitol buildings.

The Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee (CCDAC) advises the SCC and the DES regarding state capitol facilities and grounds.  The CCDAC consists of four legislators, the Secretary of State, two architects, a landscape architect, and an urban planner. 

The DES provides staff support to the SCC and the CCDAC.

The SCC is revised from an administrative committee to an interbranch advisory committee of state government.  The SCC is to advise and make recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor on the architectural, historical, and aesthetic aspects of the state capitol campus, and amendments and modifications to the comprehensive plan for the state capitol buildings and grounds.  The SCC will no longer be responsible for approving acquisition of real estate for state government purposes in Thurston County.

The Lieutenant Governor and the Commissioner of Public Lands are removed from the SCC and the following members are added:

• two members from the Senate, one from each caucus, who shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; and
• two members of the House of Representatives, one from each caucus, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

The following executive powers of the SCC are amended to become advisory:

• the construction, remodeling, and furnishing of capitol office buildings, parking facilities, the Governor's mansion, and other buildings;
• the approval of the capitol campus comprehensive plan; and
• direction to the DES in the stewardship, preservation, operation, and maintenance of the state capitol buildings.

The DES is responsible for:

• serving as the secretary and record keeper for the SCC, instead of the Commissioner of Public Lands;
• the operation of electric vehicle supply equipment in parking facilities;
• the development of a comprehensive plan for the design of all the state capitol buildings and grounds, not only the east campus; and
• renting, leasing, and using all the state capitol properties, not only the east campus, consistent with the use by the Legislature, state agencies, state officials, and the Supreme Court.

The CCDAC is renamed to be the Capitol Campus Design Technical Advisory Work Group  (CCDTAW) and the four legislators and the Secretary of State are removed.  Representatives from DES, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and the Washington State Arts Commission are added to CCDTAW.  The time frame that CCDTAW meets is changed from at least once every 90 days to as often as necessary.  The work group is no longer responsible for reviewing the process of solicitation and selection of design services on campus.

Multiple statutes related to acquisition of property or construction of facilities that have already occurred are repealed.

(In support) The Legislative Campus Modernization project will lead to new buildings on campus to address House and Senate space needs.  The committee believes they have executive authority, and their involvement has led to project cost and schedule overruns.  The Legislature should have authority over the budget.
 
(Opposed) There is an appreciation for the intent of the legislation, but there is opposition to removing the Governor from the committee.  There is a need for thoughtful conversations about the membership and roles of the SCC.  The DES is responsible for the custody and care of the state capitol campus and the SCC and the CCDAC provide a role in informing the comprehensive plan.  The statutes governing the SCC and the CCDAC are outdated and in conflict.  The SCC convened a workgroup to recommend statutory changes, which includes representatives from the SCC, the CCDAC, the Office of Financial Management, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and members of the Legislature.  The workgroup will offer recommendations in time for the 2023 legislative session.