S-0408.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5021

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senator Pelz

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Requiring elections supporting Olympic games.

    AN ACT Relating to the hosting of the Olympic games; adding a new section to chapter 36.01 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  It is the intent of the legislature to allow the public to decide whether their community should host an international Olympic games.  While hosting such an event is a great honor and has many advantages such as tourism and international exposure, these advantages do not come without significant costs such as infrastructure, traffic, increased security, and other public safety concerns.  In light of these costs, local government should not proceed without the full support of its residents and taxpayers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.01 RCW to read as follows:

    A county that is the primary venue of the international Olympic games may not expend funds in direct or indirect support of the hosting of the games unless the hosting of the games has been approved by the voters residing in the county.  The ballot title shall read:  "May county funds be expended for the purpose of hosting the International Olympic Games in (year)?"  The election to determine the approval must be under a resolution adopted by the county legislative authority and conducted under chapter 29.13 RCW.  This section does not prevent the expenditure of public funds to develop and promote a proposal to host the international Olympic games.

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