SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5133

  AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ECOLOGY & PARKS, MARCH 1, 1993

Brief Description:  Enhancing youth recreation opportunities.

SPONSORS: Senators Talmadge, Pelz, Moore, Skratek, Owen, A. Smith, Winsley and McAuliffe

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECOLOGY & PARKS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5133 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Fraser, Chairman; Barr, Deccio, McCaslin, Moore, Sutherland, and Talmadge.

Staff:  Gary Wilburn (785‑7453)

Hearing Dates: January 27, 1993; March 1, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Numerous organizations have experienced a severe shortage of youth recreational facilities available within Washington State.  Many youth sports teams have found it difficult to obtain practice sites due to the scarcity and high demand of the sites. 

It is suggested that additional funding is needed to purchase and construct more recreational facilities, and to renovate and maintain existing recreational centers.  It is also suggested that additional funds should be dedicated to sports medicine research and to training programs devoted to the teaching of injury prevention techniques.

Under most circumstances a person who assaults a referee, umpire, judge, manager, or coach is guilty of assault in the fourth degree.  Assault in the fourth degree is a gross misdemeanor.

SUMMARY:

An assessment in the amount of 25 cents is imposed on every admission to a professional or public or independent collegiate sporting event held within this state.  The assessment shall be ten cents per ticket if the total number of tickets for all sporting events by the team or school is 100,000 or less.  Excluded from the assessment are successive sales of previously taxed tickets and tickets to events in which the entire net proceeds are donated to charity.

The proceeds shall be deposited in the youth recreation account, and distributed by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) through grants to local governments, public agencies, park districts, schools, and private nonprofit entities for buying and building youth recreational facilities, extending recreational center hours, sports injury prevention research, and training programs for youth recreational officials.

The IAC shall adopt standards for determining grant application eligibility and priorities.  It shall give priority to recreational facilities that give preeminence to youths.  Priority is to be given to projects matched by nonstate resources and to communities with the greatest need for youth recreational facilities.  Geographical diversity of the projects shall be ensured to the extent possible.

Specific authority is provided to contract with the University of Washington for injury prevention research and the development of comprehensive training programs for youth team sports officials.

The IAC shall establish an advisory committee to review the grant applications and make recommendations to the IAC director.  The membership is specified, with representatives from state agencies and local governments, private nonprofit entities, and representatives from youth, professional, and collegiate sports teams. 

Sponsors, referees, umpires, judges, managers, and coaches who participate in youth sports, or who perform their duties on a voluntary basis, are granted immunity for their good faith acts conducted in the performance of their duties.

A person is guilty of assault in the third degree if he or she assaults any referee, umpire, judge, manager, or coach either during a sporting event or immediately following the event.  Assault in the third degree is a class C felony.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The funding source (sporting event ticket assessment) is deleted.  Interest on funds in the youth recreation account shall remain in the account, rather than credited to the general fund.  IAC standards for funding are to ensure facilities funded are available to youth on a gender equitable basis.  A local match is required.  IAC expenses may be charged to the youth recreation account, but may not exceed 13 percent of funds in 1993-95, and 10 percent thereafter.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  requested January 14, 1993

TESTIMONY FOR:

This will provide much needed financial assistance to local park agencies to construct youth recreational facilities, and to extend their hours of operation.  There is increasing demand for such facilities and programs.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

The ticket assessment in the original bill has a disproportionate impact on smaller sports organizations, and will reduce ticket revenues devoted to community service programs.

TESTIFIED:  Gordon Bell, Sports and Events Council, Seattle-King County (con); Ed Dale, National Youth Sports Coaches of Washington State (pro); Jim Marsh, Seattle SuperSonics (con); Jim Sheler, City of Lacey (pro); Roger Johnson, City of Bellevue (pro); Laura Eckert, Director, IAC (pro); Bob Bavasi, Everett Giants (con); Bart Waldman, Seattle Mariners (con); Bruce W. Irwin, Northwest Grant Services (pro); Larry Shannon, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association; Cleve Pinnix, State Parks (pro); Peter Norman, Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma (pro)