AN ACT Relating to port district sponsored trade expansion projects; amending RCW 42.17.310 and 42.30.110; and adding a new chapter to Title 53 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is declared to be the public policy of the state to promote and preserve the economic well-being of the citizens of this state by creating opportunities for expanded participation in international trade by state businesses and expanding international trade through state ports. Increased international trade of state products creates and retains jobs, increases the state's tax base, and diversifies the state's economy. Port districts, through economies of scale, are uniquely situated to promote and expand international trade and provide greater opportunities for state businesses to participate in international trade.

The legislature finds that significant public benefit, in the form of increased employment and tax revenues, can be realized through export trading companies without lending the credit of port districts, and without capital investment of public funds by port districts. The legislature finds that the use of port district funds to promote and establish export trading companies under this chapter constitutes trade promotion and industrial development within the meaning of Article VIII, section 8 of the state Constitution.

It is the purpose of this chapter: (1) To stimulate greater participation by private businesses in international trade; (2) to authorize port districts to promote and facilitate international trade more actively; (3) to make export services more widely available; (4) to generate revenue for port districts; and (5) to develop markets for Washington state goods and services. Port sponsored export trading companies can also assist small to medium-sized companies in achieving economies of scale in order to expand into the export market. Port sponsored export trading companies can also assist small to medium sized companies in achieving economies of scale in order to expand into the export market.

This chapter shall not be construed as modifying or restricting any other powers granted to port districts by law. The legislature does not intend by the enactment of this chapter for port districts to use export trading companies to create unfair competition with private business.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Port district" means any port district other than a port district in a class A or AA county, established under Title 53 RCW.

(2) "Export services" means the following services when provided in order to facilitate the export of goods or services: International market research, promotion, consulting, marketing, legal assistance, trade documentation, communication and processing of foreign orders to and for exporters and foreign purchasers, financing, and contracting or arranging for transportation, insurance, warehousing, foreign exchange, and freight forwarding.

(3) "Export trading company" means an entity created by a port district under section 4 of this act.

(4) "Obligations" means bonds, notes, securities, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness.

(5) "Person" means any natural person, firm, partnership, association, private or public corporation, or governmental entity.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Public port districts, formed under chapter 53.04 RCW are authorized to establish export trading companies as defined in the federal export trading company act of 1982. Public port districts may form export trading companies either singularly, as joint ventures, or as consortiums with other public ports, financial institutions, freight forwarders, and public or private concerns within or outside the state to carry out the purposes of this chapter. A port district may participate financially in only one export trading company at any one time.

(2) A port district proposing to establish an export trading company shall adopt a business plan with safeguards and limitations to ensure that any private benefit to be realized from the use of funds of the export trading company are incidental to the purposes of this chapter. The business plan shall be adopted only after public hearing and shall be reviewed at least once every two years. Amendments to the plan shall be adopted only after public hearing. The business plan shall include:

(a) A description of export promotion activities to be conducted during the period of the plan;

(b) A proposed budget of operations which shall include an itemized list of estimated revenues and expenditures;

(c) A description of the safeguards and limitations which ensure that the export trading company will best be used to enhance international trade and produce public benefit in the form of employment, capital investment, and tax revenues;

(d) A description of private competitors which may be capable of providing the functions in the business plan; and

(e) Such other matters as may be determined by the port district.

(3) A port district, for the purpose of establishing or promoting an export trading company under this chapter, may provide financial assistance to the export trading company. A port district may not provide such assistance or services for more than five years or in an amount greater than five hundred thousand dollars.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) For the purpose of promoting international trade, export trading companies formed under this chapter may provide export services through:

(a) Holding and disposing of goods in international trade;

(b) Entering into contracts, joint ventures, brokerage or other agreements with any person for the distribution of goods in trade; or

All such activities engaged in or pursued by an export trading company shall be charged for in accordance with the customs of the trade at competitive market rates.

(2) Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to authorize an export trading company to own or operate directly or indirectly any business which provides freight-forwarding, insurance, foreign exchange, or warehousing services. Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to permit an export trading company to engage in the business of transporting commodities by motor vehicle, barge, ship, or rail for compensation.

(3) Proceedings to form export trading companies shall be initiated by a resolution adopted by the board of commissioners of the port district proposing the formation of an export trading company. The resolution creating the export trading company shall approve a charter for the export trading company containing such provisions as are authorized by this chapter.

(4) A port district may contract with an export trading company to provide services on a reimbursement basis at current business rates to the export trading company, including but not limited to accounting, legal, clerical, technical, and other administrative services. Separate accounting records prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles shall be maintained by the export trading company.

(5) Any obligation of an export trading company shall not in any manner be an obligation of the port district nor a charge upon any revenues or property of the port district.

(6) An export trading company may borrow money or contract indebtedness and pledge, in whole or in part, any of its revenues or assets not subject to prior liens or pledges. An export trading company may not pledge any revenue or property of a port district or other municipal corporation and no port district or other municipal corporation may pledge its revenues or property to the payment thereof. An export trading company has no power to issue general obligation bonds, levy taxes, or exercise power of eminent domain.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. All financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons to an export trading company with respect to export projects shall be kept confidential unless such confidentiality shall be waived by the party supplying the information or by all parties engaged in the discussion.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. An export trading company may apply for and hold a certificate of review provided for under 15 U.S.C. Secs. 4001 through 4021, the federal export trading company act of 1982.

Sec. 7. Section 31, chapter 1, Laws of 1973 as last amended by section 8, chapter 414, Laws of 1985 and RCW 42.17.310 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The following are exempt from public inspection and copying:

(a) Personal information in any files maintained for students in public schools, patients or clients of public institutions or public health agencies, welfare recipients, prisoners, probationers, or parolees.

(b) Personal information in files maintained for employees, appointees, or elected officials of any public agency to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy.

(c) Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax if the disclosure of the information to other persons would (i) be prohibited to such persons by RCW 82.32.330 or (ii) violate the taxpayer's right to privacy or result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the taxpayer.

(d) Specific intelligence information and specific investigative records compiled by investigative, law enforcement, and penology agencies, and state agencies vested with the responsibility to discipline members of any profession, the nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy.

(e) Information revealing the identity of persons who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies, other than the public disclosure commission, if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property: PROVIDED, That if at the time the complaint is filed the complainant indicates a desire for disclosure or nondisclosure, such desire shall govern: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That all complaints filed with the public disclosure commission about any elected official or candidate for public office must be made in writing and signed by the complainant under oath.

(f) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination.

(g) Except as provided by chapter 8.26 RCW, the contents of real estate appraisals, made for or by any agency relative to the acquisition or sale of property, until the project or prospective sale is abandoned or until such time as all of the property has been acquired or the property to which the sale appraisal relates is sold, but in no event shall disclosure be denied for more than three years after the appraisal.

(h) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, and research data obtained by any agency within five years of the request for disclosure when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss.

(i) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended except that a specific record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by an agency in connection with any agency action.

(j) Records which are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery for causes pending in the superior courts.

(k) Records, maps, or other information identifying the location of archaeological sites in order to avoid the looting or depredation of such sites.

(l) Any library record, the primary purpose of which is to maintain control of library materials, or to gain access to information, which discloses or could be used to disclose the identity of a library user.

(m) Financial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, or corporation for the purpose of qualifying to submit a bid or proposal for (a) a ferry system construction or repair contract as required by RCW 47.60.680 through 47.60.750 or (b) highway construction or improvement as required by RCW 47.28.070.

(n) Railroad company contracts filed with the utilities and transportation commission under RCW 81.34.070, except that the summaries of the contracts are open to public inspection and copying as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(o) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons pertaining to export services provided pursuant to sections 1 through 6 of this 1986 act.

(2) Except for information described in subsection (1)(c)(i) of this section and confidential income data exempted from public inspection pursuant to RCW 84.40.020, the exemptions of this section are inapplicable to the extent that information, the disclosure of which would violate personal privacy or vital governmental interests, can be deleted from the specific records sought. No exemption may be construed to permit the nondisclosure of statistical information not descriptive of any readily identifiable person or persons.

(3) Inspection or copying of any specific records exempt under the provisions of this section may be permitted if the superior court in the county in which the record is maintained finds, after a hearing with notice thereof to every person in interest and the agency, that the exemption of such records is clearly unnecessary to protect any individual's right of privacy or any vital governmental function.

(4) Agency responses refusing, in whole or in part, inspection of any public record shall include a statement of the specific exemption authorizing the withholding of the record (or part) and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the record withheld.

Sec. 8. Section 11, chapter 250, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. as last amended by section 2, chapter 366, Laws of 1985 and RCW 42.30.110 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to prevent a governing body from holding an executive session during a regular or special meeting:

(a) To consider matters affecting national security;

(b) To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price;

(c) To consider the minimum price at which real estate will be offered for sale or lease when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of decreased price. However, final action selling or leasing public property shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

(d) To review negotiations on the performance of publicly bid contracts when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased costs;

(e) To consider, in the case of an export trading company, financial and commercial information supplied by private persons to the export trading company;

(f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge;

((~~(f)~~)) (g) To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

((~~(g)~~)) (h) To evaluate the qualifications of a candidate for appointment to elective office. However, any interview of such candidate and final action appointing a candidate to elective office shall be in a meeting open to the public;

((~~(h)~~)) (i) To discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency.

(2) Before convening in executive session, the presiding officer of a governing body shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the public from the meeting place, and the time when the executive session will be concluded. The executive session may be extended to a stated later time by announcement of the presiding officer.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 53 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.