H-2592

AN ACT Relating to investments of state-wide significance; and adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that certain industrial investments merit special designation and treatment by governmental entities. The legislature further finds that such investments bolster the local economy and have an impact on the state economy as a whole. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize that certain industrial investments and projects are of state-wide significance and that it is in the state interest to expedite their completion.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Department" means the department of community, trade, and economic development.

(2) "Director" means the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development.

(3) "Eligible projects" means:

(a) Construction of new buildings and the acquisition of new machinery and equipment when the buildings, machinery, and equipment are to be used for either manufacturing or research and development activities; or

(b) Acquisition of new machinery and equipment to be used for either manufacturing or research and development if the machinery and equipment is housed in a leased new building; or

(c) Modernization projects involving construction, renovation, acquisition, or upgrading of existing buildings or machinery and equipment, including labor and services, and are intended to increase the production of the facility.

(4) "Local government" means either: (a) A city or county that plans under chapter 36.70 RCW; or (b) a city or county that is required to plan or elects to plan under chapter 36.70A RCW.

(5) "Machinery and equipment" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.61.010 and 82.63.010.

(6) "Manufacturing" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.62.010.

(7) "Project of state-wide significance" means an eligible project where the initial construction is scheduled to start after July 1, 1997, and: (a) The amount of the investment is equal to, or greater than, one thousand dollars times the population of the county where the eligible project is located; or (b) is designated a project of state-wide significance by the director under section 3 of this act.

(8) "Research and development" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.61.010 and 82.63.010.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) A local government that receives an application for the development of a project of state-wide significance shall develop a process for expediting the review, approval, permitting, and completion of the project.

(2) The local government shall notify the department within ten days of receipt of an application for the development of a project of state-wide significance. The notification to the department shall contain information on the type of project, the amount of public and private investment in the project, and the local government contact person.

(3) A project that does not meet the requirements of section 2(7) of this act may still be designated a project of state-wide significance by the director. In designating a project under this subsection, the director must state the reasons why the project is of importance at both the local and state level, the impact on the local economy, and how the project will benefit from the expedited process.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The director shall assign an ombudsman to each project of state-wide significance. The ombudsman is responsible for assembling a team of state and local government and private officials to help meet the planning and development needs of the specific project of state-wide significance.

(2) The ombudsman shall include those in the team that have responsibility over the planning, permitting and licensing, infrastructure development, work force development services, transportation services, and the provision of utilities for the specific project of state-wide significance.

(3) The team shall work together to expedite the approval of necessary permits for the furtherance of the specific project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. In order to provide service to developers of projects of state-wide significance, the department shall charge reasonable fees for services under this chapter. The fees must be based on a percentage of the cost of the eligible project and are not intended to exceed the costs of providing the service. The fees may not be paid with funds from a federal, state, or local government source.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The ombudsman fee account is created in the state treasury. The account consists of all receipts from fees charged by the department under section 5 of this act. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes of this chapter. Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. Expenditures from the account may be spent only after appropriation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.