HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2352

                       As Passed House

                      February 4, 1994

Title:  An act relating to the governor's advisory committee on international trade.

Brief Description:  Revising membership and duties of the governor's advisory committee on international trade.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Shin, Campbell, Patterson, Finkbeiner, Forner, Appelwick, J. Kohl, Johanson, Wineberry, Wolfe and Veloria).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Trade, Economic Development & Housing, January 27, 1994, DPS;

  Passed House, February 4, 1994, 92-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Wineberry, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Schoesler, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Campbell; Casada; Conway; Sheldon; Springer; Valle and Wood.

Staff:  Kenny Pittman (786-7392).

Background:  The Legislature established the Council on International Trade in 1993.  There are 15 members on the council, including three members of the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development.  The other members represent trade organizations, Washington ports, businesses active in exporting goods, experts in export marketing and financing, and the directors of the Department of Trade and Economic Development and the Department of Agriculture.

The Council on International Trade's duties include advising the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development on policies to enhance Washington exports and on potential export markets, reviewing current export programs and helping coordinate public export programs state-wide, recommending methods to increase the awareness of trade to the state of Washington, and studying the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Uruguay General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations.

The council's preliminary report to the Governor and the Legislature is due by June 1, 1994, and a final report is due December 1, 1994.  The council expires on June 30, 1995.

The Governor vetoed separate legislation that established the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development.  The Governor vetoed provisions in the council's legislation that required the council to report its activities to the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development.

Summary of Bill:  The Council on International Trade is renamed the Governor's Advisory Committee on International Trade.  The membership of the advisory committee is expanded from fifteen to sixteen. 

The three representatives of the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development are deleted.  Four legislative members are added to the Advisory Committee's membership.  Two legislative members are from the House of Representatives, one from each caucus, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and two legislative members are from the Senate, one from each caucus, appointed by the President of the Senate.

The Washington State Trade Representative is designated chair of the advisory committee.  If the position of trade representative is not created, then the director of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development is the chair of the advisory committee.

All references to the Executive-Legislative Committee on Economic Development are deleted.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 18, 1994.

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

Testimony For:  The bill will provide the first opportunity for an overall look at the state's international trade programs.  The committee will play a vital and needed role in directing our efforts in identifying and marketing our goods on an international basis.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Paull Shin, prime sponsor (pro); and Mike Fitzgerald, Department of Trade and Economic Development (pro).