S-2382               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5492

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey and Rasmussen)

Read first time 3/5/87.

AN ACT Relating to open public meetings; adding a new section to chapter 42.30 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 42.30 RCW to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that many nonprofit corporations and other organizations receive moneys from the state and political subdivisions for a variety of programs and services to clients.  The majority of these programs are conducted in an effective and responsible manner.  However, there have been instances when interested citizens have been seriously concerned about the quality of service delivery, compliance with the intent for which the public funds were provided, and fiscal integrity of the expenditures.

          Such organizations are not considered public agencies under the open public meetings act and thus have no obligation to conduct their business in public meetings.  Citizens with complaints about the propriety of expenditure of public funds can therefore be denied an opportunity to present their concerns.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The senate committee on governmental operations and the committees on state government and local government in the house of representatives are hereby directed to study the issue of providing opportunities for citizens to present their concerns in meetings of nonprofit corporations or other organizations when any aspect of the expenditure of public funds is under consideration.

          The study and appropriate recommendations for legislation shall be completed no later than December 1, 1987.