SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5983

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                Commerce & Labor, March 4, 1997

 

Title:  An act relating to industrial investments and projects of state‑wide significance.

 

Brief Description:  Assisting industrial investments and projects of state‑wide significance.

 

Sponsors:  Senators Schow, Bauer, Snyder, Heavey and Patterson.

 

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Commerce & Labor:  2/26/97, 3/4/97 [DPS].

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

 

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5983 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Schow, Chair; Horn, Vice Chair; Anderson, Franklin, Fraser, Heavey and Newhouse.

 

Staff:  Jack Brummel (786-7428)

 

Background:  Major industrial investments can have a significant impact on a city's or a county's regulatory processes and economic well-being.  State recognition of and assistance with major industrial investments or economic development projects can expedite their completion.

 

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Industrial projects of statewide significance are defined.  Counties and cities are to include in their written plans a process for expediting the completion of projects of statewide significance.  The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development is to assign an ombudsman to each project of statewide significance to assemble a team of state and local government and private officials to help meet the project's planning and development needs. 

 

Planning documents for workforce development, higher education, transportation, ecology, and shoreline management are to address the needs of projects of statewide significance.

 

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute clarifies that the subject of the bill is industrial projects of statewide significance and further defines such projects.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 24, 1997.

 

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

 

Testimony For:  The bill would encourage the state to be a partner with local officials in economic growth.  The bill will help coordinate investments and improve infrastructural workforce training.  Transportation and permitting processes can be coordinated through the mechanism of this bill.

 

Testimony Against:  None.

 

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Benton; Senator Bauer; Rep. Pennington; Mel Gordon, Clark County Commissioner; Robert Schaefer, Dan McKay, Columbia River Economic Develop­ment Council; Jewel Bortin, Hewlett Packard; Casey O=Dell, Sharp Micro-Electronics; Mike Loggins, SEH America; Dave Williams, Association of Washington Cities.