HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5047

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                      State Government

Title:  An act relating to a state tartan.

Brief Description:  Designating a state tartan.

Sponsor(s):  Senators Bauer, McCaslin, Sutherland, L. Smith, Moore, Snyder, Niemi and Wojahn.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, March 19, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Minority Member; Bowman, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; Grant; Moyer; and Sheldon.

Staff:  Linda May (786-7135).

Background:  A tartan is a textile design of stripes on a solid background.  A tartan is distinguished by the background color and the colors and widths of the stripes in the pattern.  Different tartans are associated with particular clans, military regiments, or other entities.

Summary of Bill:  The Washington state tartan is designated, made up of a green background with blue, white, yellow, red, and black stripes.  The secretary of state is to register the tartan with the Scottish Tartan Society in Scotland.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The Scottish Country Dancers created the design of this tartan:  green is for all the green in Washington, the blue is for water, the red is for fruit, the white is for snow-capped mountains, the yellow is for grain, and the black is for Mt. St. Helens.  A number of other U.S. states and Canadian provinces have tartans.  The Washington wine and apple industries have expressed an interest in using the tartan in advertising.  Requests have already been made for kilts and ties made with the pattern.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Senator Bauer; and Margaret and Fred van Nus, Scottish Country Dancers (all in favor).