5745.E

AN ACT Relating to interlibrary sharing; and adding new sections to chapter 43.147 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. In chapter 251, Laws of 1991, the legislature enacted into law the Pacific Northwest economic region agreement and made the state of Washington a party along with member states Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, and member Canadian provinces Alberta and British Columbia. The legislature recognized that the member states and provinces of the Pacific Northwest economic region are in a strategic position to act together, as a region, thus increasing the overall competitiveness of the members and providing substantial economic benefits for all of their citizens.

For those reasons, in chapter 251, Laws of 1991, the legislature also encouraged the establishment of cooperative activities between the seven legislative bodies of the Pacific Northwest economic region. The member states and provinces now desire to engage in such cooperation by electronically sharing twenty-two million volumes from certain of their respective universities. The member states and provinces have determined that such interlibrary sharing will provide substantial economic benefit for their citizens. The legislature agrees, specifically also finding that such interlibrary sharing furthers a major component of education strategy in the 1990's and twenty-first century, namely providing increased access to knowledge via technology.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, as used in sections 1 through 6 of this act "PNWER-Net" means the technology network to be created by the member states and provinces of the Pacific Northwest economic region that will be capable of electronically linking the following undergraduate university libraries of the member states and provinces:

(1) Alaska:

(a) University of Alaska, Anchorage;

(b) University of Alaska, Juneau;

(2) Alberta:

(a) University of Alberta, Calgary;

(b) University of Alberta, Edmonton;

(3) British Columbia:

(a) University of British Columbia, Vancouver;

(b) University of Victoria, Victoria;

(4) Idaho:

(a) Boise State University, Boise;

(b) University of Idaho, Moscow;

(5) Montana:

(a) Montana State University, Bozeman;

(b) University of Montana, Missoula;

(6) Oregon:

(a) Oregon State University, Corvallis;

(b) University of Oregon, Eugene;

(7) Washington:

(a) University of Washington, Seattle; and

(b) Washington State University, Pullman.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The PNWER-Net working subgroup is hereby created for the member state of Washington. The working subgroup shall be composed of seven members as follows: Two members of the senate, one from each of the major caucuses, appointed by the president of the senate; two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; the state librarian; and the primary undergraduate academic librarian from each of the state's two research institutions of higher education.

(2) The staff support shall be provided by the senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research as mutually agreed by the legislators on the working group.

(3) The expenses of the legislative members shall be paid by the legislature. The expenses of the other members or their designees shall be paid by their respective state agencies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The PNWER-Net working subgroup shall have the following duties:

(1) To work with working subgroups from other member states and provinces in an entity known as the PNWER-Net working group to develop PNWER-Net;

(2) To assist the PNWER-Net working group in developing criteria to ensure that designated member libraries use existing telecommunications infrastructure including the internet;

(3) To report to the legislature by December 1, 1994, concerning the status of PNWER-Net; and

(4) To account for all funds received and spent under section 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The PNWER-Net working subgroup may accept gifts, grants, and donations from private individuals and entities made for the purposes of sections 1 through 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The PNWER-Net account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from appropriations and gifts, grants, and donations from private individuals and entities shall be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes of sections 1 through 4 of this act including contributing to a PNWER-Networking group account if one is established. Only the PNWER-Networking subgroup chairperson may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to the allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for expenditures.

(2) Funds in the account may be expended only after the following conditions have been met:

(a) PNWER-Net technology shall be capable of linking the designated university libraries within and between two or more PNWER member states or provinces; and

(b) At least two PNWER member states or provinces shall have committed to funding linkage to PNWER-Net.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act are each added to chapter 43.147 RCW.