HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1280

                       As Passed House

                       March 13,  1997

Title:  An act relating to public art and educational displays.

Brief Description:  Removing requirements for public art in department of corrections facilities.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Capital Budget (originally sponsored by  Representatives Honeyford, Koster, Sheldon, Sump, Boldt, D. Sommers, McMorris, Clements, Crouse, Dunn, Schoesler, Johnson, DeBolt, Mulliken, Thompson, Mielke and D. Schmidt).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Capital Budget:  2/13/97, 3/4/97 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/13/97, 90‑6.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CAPITAL BUDGET

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Sehlin, Chairman; Honeyford, Vice Chairman; Sullivan, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hankins; Koster; Lantz; Mitchell; D. Sommers and H. Sommers.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives Ogden, Ranking Minority Member; and Costa.

Staff:  Karl Herzog (786-7271).

Background:  The visual arts program, administered by the Washington State Arts Commission, purchases works of art for placement in public buildings, on public lands, and in portable art collections.  The program is funded from an allocation of .05 percent of capital budget appropriations for the original construction of new state facilities and public schools.  Works of art are acquired and placed by the commission in collaboration with affected state agencies and school districts.  Once the artwork is acquired, it is added to the state art collection owned and managed by the commission.  Currently, the state art collection contains over 2,900 works of art valued at over $8 million.

In 1995, a temporary ban on the acquisition of works of art for new state prison facilities

was enacted by the Legislature.  The ban expires at the end of the 1995-97 biennium.  In 1995, the Department of Corrections and the Arts Commission created a pilot project, known as the Limited Edition Artists' Designs (LEAD) program, for inmate fabrication of multiple copies of works of art for purchase by school districts.

Summary of Bill: The artwork allocations from Department of Corrections capital appropriations are eliminated.

At least 10 percent of the total value of artwork contracted by the Washington State Arts Commission in each biennial period must be created or fabricated by state prison inmates through the Division of Correctional Industries.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available for original bill.  Requested for substitute bill on March 5, 1997.

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

Testimony For:  Art work in prisons is not an appropriate use of state bonds.  These moneys can be better used to construct prison beds or be better spent elsewhere in state facilities.

Testimony Against:  Prison artwork funds have been used for mitigation in prison communities.  Artwork has been well incorporated into prison facilities.  4,000 prison employees benefit from the artwork.  The portable art collections funded by prison art allocations have been viewed and enjoyed by school children.

Testified:  Representative Jim Honeyford, prime sponsor; Karen Gose, Washington State Arts Commission (neutral with concerns); Janeen Wadsworth, Department of Corrections (neutral with concerns); and Kip Kelley, Washington Public Employees Association (pro).