HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1631
As Reported By House Committee On:
Trade & Economic Development
Title: An act relating to international education and cultural and trade exchanges.
Brief Description: Promoting international education and cultural and trade exchanges.
Sponsors: Representatives Jacobsen, Carlson, Van Luven and Sheldon.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Trade & Economic Development: 2/13/95 [DP].
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Van Luven, Chairman; Radcliff, Vice Chairman; D. Schmidt, Vice Chairman; Veloria, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Ballasiotes; Hatfield; Hickel; Mason; Sherstad; Skinner and Valle.
Staff: Kenny Pittman (786-7392).
Background: The state of Washington has seen mutual benefit from educational, cultural, and business exchanges with other countries. These exchanges further the understanding between the citizens of Washington and other countries.
Summary of Bill: International Education and Exchange Council
The International Education and Exchange Council (council) is created as a public-private partnership in the Office of the Secretary of State. The council works to develop Washington's efforts with targeted training partners and with educational and trade organizations from outside the United States.
The council consists of representatives of the Legislature, the Office of International Relations and Protocol, state agencies, common schools and institutions of higher education, businesses involved in international trade, and organizations involved in international trade and cultural exchanges. The council's duties include: (1) advising on the need for international education and cultural exchanges; (2) assisting others to work with countries that comprise the state's targeted trading partners; (3) promoting efforts to enhance cultural and education exchange opportunities; (4) maintaining a data base on cultural exchange opportunities and people who have participated in international exchanges; and (5) monitoring the recommendations of the Washington task force on international education and cultural exchanges.
The council may establish a private, nonprofit corporation to foster international education and cultural exchange efforts with other countries. The Secretary of State may accept gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests, or real or personal property to further the objectives of the council. The Secretary of State may adopt rules to govern and protect the receipt and expenditure of proceeds.
International Trade Partners
A pilot project is created to train Washington residents that volunteer as international trading partners. The Secretary of State will provide necessary technical assistance and training to volunteers that participate in the project. Volunteers are not employees of the state and are selected based on their skills, expertise, and language proficiency in relation to the needs of the participating country. Terms of volunteer participation as an international trade partner is subject to policies established by the Secretary of State.
Activities of volunteers that participate as international trading partners are funded through federal and private support funds, and other nonstate funds. Subject to funding, volunteers may be provided money to cover the cost of living in the country of service.
International Contact Data Base
The international contact data base is established and maintained by the Secretary of State. The data base contains a listing of Washington residents working or studying overseas, international students that have studied in Washington, and exchange opportunities for Washington residents wanting to participate in the overseas program. Information in the data base is available to the public on request for free or at cost. Any person listed in the data base may request removal from the data base.
Strategic Trading Partners
The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, in consultation with the Office of International Relations and Protocol, Office of the Secretary of State, Department of Agriculture, and Employment Security Department shall identify up to 15 countries that are of strategic importance to the development of Washington's international trade relations.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: This bill is important to the state's effort in international exchanges. By targeting limited resources, we can focus on those countries that are of strategic trade importance to Washington. The creation of the International Education and Exchange Council, as a public-private partnership, is critical to increase education, cultural, and trade exchanges.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Representative Ken Jacobsen, sponsor (Pro); Representative Mason (Pro); Ralph Munro, Secretary of State (Pro); and Burton Bard, American Cultural Exchange (Pro).