FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1662

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 320 L 93

Brief Description:  Reauthorizing the community economic revitalization board.

By House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Wineberry, Shin, Forner, Sheldon, Wang, Riley, Ogden, Silver, Valle, Jones, Holm, Basich, Rayburn, Jacobsen, Kremen, Cooke and J. Kohl; by request of Department of Trade and Economic Development).

House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing

House Committee on Capital Budget

Senate Committee on Trade, Technology & Economic Development

Background:  The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) Program was created by the Legislature in 1982 to provide loans or grants to counties, cities, and ports for economic development-related infrastructure.  The loan or grant must be necessary to bring an identified business or development into the community.

The CERB Program was expanded in 1991 to provide funds for feasibility studies and public infrastructure projects that support industrial and tourism development in timber communities.  When the board receives applications for assistance in financing public facilities to encourage development of private facilities to process recyclable materials, a copy of the application must be sent to the Department of Ecology (DOE).  DOE is to submit its recommendations to the board for the board's consideration.

In addition, there is a Department of Transportation/CERB Grant Program which supports state highway improvement projects.

Of CERB funds, 50 percent must go to projects in designated distressed or timber-dependent communities.

CERB expires on June 30, 1993.

Summary:  The Community Economic Revitalization Board is extended indefinitely.  The board is directed to forward a copy of any application for financial assistance to encourage the development of a recycling facility to the Department of Ecology and to notify the department of any decision regarding the application.  Provisions requiring that DOE review and submit recommendations to the board are deleted.  The protections under current law regarding proprietary information are extended to applications for CERB loans or program services.

The board must report to the Legislature every two years, beginning December 1, 1994.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98 0

Senate 44 0 (Senate amended)

House  96 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1993

              May 12, 1993(Section 8)