SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2450

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Agriculture & International Trade, February 27, 2002

Title:  An act relating to the trade center act.

Brief Description:  Updating the Washington trade center act to authorize electronic commerce activities.

Sponsors:  Representatives Hatfield, Dunshee, DeBolt, Jarrett and Anderson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Agriculture & International Trade:  2/27/02 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Rasmussen, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Sheahan, Snyder, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff:  Kim Johnson (786-7486)

Background:  The Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) is a nonprofit corporation established in 1961 to promote the interests of the port community.  WPPA is recognized by statute as the organizing agency for coordinating and harmonizing programs and operations of its member districts, and for submitting recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.

Currently, the power to establish trade centers is given to port districts, WPPA, and the Federation of Washington Ports.  The Trade Center Act was created in 1989 to provide port districts and WPPA with additional powers to provide trade centers and to promote and encourage trade, tourism, travel and economic development in a coordinated and efficient manner through the ports of the state.  Specifically, port districts and WPPA are given the power to acquire, construct, develop, operate and maintain all land or other property interests, buildings, structures or other improvements necessary to provide a trade center.

A trade center is a physical facility consisting of one or more structures with areas for the centralized accommodation of public and private agencies, persons and facilities in order to afford improved service to waterborne and airborne import and export trade and commerce and all the related functions and activities.

Additionally, port districts and WPPA are authorized to cooperate and act jointly with other public and private agencies, including but not limited to the federal government, the state, other ports, other states, and private nonprofit trade promotion groups and associate development organizations.

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature recognizes that a trade center's commerce activities may be conducted through both physical and electronic facilities. 

Port districts and the Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) are permitted to participate in transactions which are necessary to provide electronic facilities to a trade center.  The terms "transaction" and "person" are defined as having the same meaning as the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 7006 (13)).

Secondly, port districts and the WPPA are authorized to invest jointly with public and private agencies and persons, including but not limited to the federal government, the state, other ports and municipal corporations, other states and their political subdivisions, and private nonprofit trade promotion groups and associate development organizations.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The Trade Center Act of 1989 provided port districts and the Washington Public Ports Association with the powers to create "bricks and mortar" trade centers.  This bill will update the Trade Center Act by including electronic commerce activities which will only aid in the success of our port districts.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Terry Finn, Port of Seattle, (pro); Tom Tanaka, Port of Seattle (pro).