SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5884

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines, March 5, 2001

Title:  An act relating to a legislative task force on local park and recreation maintenance and operations.

Brief Description:  Creating a legislative task force on local park and recreation maintenance and operations.

Sponsors:  Senators Jacobsen, Oke, Regala, Roach, Prentice, Horn, Kline, Finkbeiner, Haugen, Swecker and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines:  2/26/01, 3/5/01 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & SHORELINES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5884 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Constantine, Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Snyder and Stevens.

Staff:  David Johnson (786‑7754)

Background:  The demand for local park and recreation opportunities continues to grow along with the population.  At the same time, many current park and recreation facilities are aging and may need repair.  There is concern that current availability and funding for the maintenance and operation of local park and recreation facilities may not keep up with demand.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A legislative task force on local park and recreation maintenance and operations issues is created.  The task force is staffed by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation and consists of legislators, urban and rural local government park and recreation representatives, local park users, a representative from the Office of Financial Management, business interest representatives, and an environmental interest representative.

The task force must issue a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2001.  The report includes information and recommendations relating to local park and recreation uses, trends, benefits, needs, funding, and other issues.  The task force must hold meetings in at least four different parts of the state.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute added a representative of a metropolitan park district, a park and recreation service area, or a park and recreation district to the task force.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  People want and need new parks, but maintaining and operating existing parks is the real current challenge.  We need a task force to look into these issues.  Parks are often the first to suffer when there are cuts.  Some local jurisdictions have even eliminated their local parks districts.  Maintenance and operations are usually basic needs such as re‑roofing, plumbing, and ADA accessability.  Adding metropolitan park districts would be a helpful addition to the task force.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Al Davis, Washington Recreation and Park Association, King County; Mike Dobb, WRPA, Pierce County; Vien Veysey, Bryan Wahl, REALTORS; T. K. Bentler, Metro Parks of Tacoma.