S-4811

AN ACT Relating to community athletic facilities; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; and providing a contingent expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that coordinated funding efforts are needed to maintain, develop, and improve the state's community outdoor athletic fields. Rapid population growth and increased urbanization have caused a decline in suitable outdoor fields for community athletic activities and has resulted in overcrowding and deterioration of existing surfaces. Lack of adequate community outdoor athletic fields directly affects the health and well-being of all citizens of the state, reduces the state's economic viability, and prevents Washington from maintaining and achieving the quality of life that it deserves. Therefore, it is the policy of the state and its agencies to maintain, develop, fund, and improve community outdoor athletic fields.

(2) In carrying out this policy, the legislature intends to promote the building of new community outdoor athletic fields and upgrade existing community outdoor athletic fields across Washington state. The purpose of this chapter is to create an advisory committee to provide information and advice to the interagency committee for outdoor recreation in the distribution of the funds established in the voter-approved Seahawk stadium legislation, RCW 43.99N.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) A community outdoor athletic fields advisory committee is established within the interagency committee for outdoor recreation. The committee consists of seven members, three members from the public at large, appointed by the governor, one member from each caucus in the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member from each caucus in the senate, appointed by the president of the senate. The governor must use his or her best efforts to achieve a balance among the appointed members of the public at large based upon factors of geographic, racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, and with a sense and awareness of community outdoor athletic field needs.

(2) The terms of members shall commence on the date of appointment and shall be for three years, or until a successor is appointed, except in the case of appointments to fill vacancies, which shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. However, the first members shall be appointed for terms as follows: One member of the public at large for one year; two members of the public at large for two years; one member of the house of representatives for one year; one member from the house of representatives for two years; one member of the senate for two years; and one member of the senate for three years. The governor shall appoint one of the members from the public at large to serve as chair of the council for the duration of the member's term.

(3) Members from the public at large shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and shall be entitled to reimbursement individually for travel expenses incurred in performance of their duties as members of the council in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The community outdoor athletic fields advisory committee may have the following duties:

(1) To prepare and update a strategic plan for the development, maintenance, and improvement of community outdoor athletic fields in the state. The plan must be prepared in coordination with the office of the governor and the office of financial management, with participation of federal, state, and local agencies having community outdoor athletic responsibilities, user groups, private sector interests, and the general public. The advisory committee shall submit the plan and its policy recommendations to the governor. The plan may include, but is not limited to:

(a) An inventory of current community outdoor athletic fields;

(b) A forecast of demand for these fields;

(d) A process for broad scale information gathering;

(e) An assessment of the capabilities and constraints, both internal and external to state government, that affect the ability of the state to achieve the goals of the plan;

(f) An analysis of strategic options and decisions available to the state;

(g) An implementation strategy that is coordinated with executive policy and budget priorities; and

(h) The elements necessary to qualify for participation in or the receipt of aid from any federal program for community outdoor athletic fields;

(2) The committee shall determine the eligibility requirements for a qualified nonprofit organization;

(3) To encourage and provide opportunities for interagency and regional coordination and cooperative efforts between public agencies and between public and private entities involved in the maintenance, development, and improvement of community outdoor athletic fields;

(4) To appoint technical and other committees as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and

(5) To create and maintain a repository for data, studies, research, and other information relating to community outdoor athletic fields in the state, and to encourage the exchange of this information.

The community outdoor athletic fields advisory committee may provide information to and advise the interagency committee for outdoor recreation on the disbursement of funds governed by RCW 43.99N.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 3 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 3 of this act expire one year after RCW 82.14.0494 expires.