[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to capital projects for local art, cultural, and social service organizations; amending RCW 43.63A.750 and 43.63A.125; and providing an expiration date.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 43.63A.750 and 1999 c 295 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A competitive grant program to assist nonprofit organizations, local governments, and other entities as determined by the department in acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating performing arts, art museums, and cultural facilities is created.

(2)(a) The department shall submit a list of recommended performing arts, art museum projects, and cultural organization projects eligible for funding to the governor and the legislature in the department's biennial capital budget request beginning with the 2001-2003 biennium and thereafter. The list, in priority order, shall include a description of each project, the amount of recommended state funding, and documentation of nonstate funds to be used for the project. The total amount of recommended state funding for projects on a biennial project list shall not exceed four million dollars. The department may provide an additional alternate project list which shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars.

(b) The department shall establish a competitive process to prioritize applications for state assistance as follows:

(i) The department shall conduct a statewide solicitation of project applications from nonprofit organizations, local governments, and other entities, as determined by the department. The department shall evaluate and rank applications in consultation with a citizen advisory committee, including a representative from the state arts commission, using objective criteria. The evaluation and ranking process shall also consider local community support for projects and an examination of existing assets that applicants may apply to projects.

(ii) The department may establish the amount of state grant assistance for individual project applications but the amount shall not exceed twenty percent of the estimated total capital cost or actual cost of a project, whichever is less. The remaining portions of the project capital cost shall be a match from nonstate sources. The nonstate match may include cash, the value of real property when acquired solely for the purpose of the project, and in-kind contributions. The department is authorized to set matching requirements for individual projects. State assistance may be used to fund separate definable phases of a project if the project demonstrates adequate progress and has secured the necessary match funding.

(iii) The department shall not sign contracts or otherwise financially obligate funds under this section until the legislature has approved a specific list of projects. In contracts for grants authorized under this section, the department shall include provisions requiring that capital improvements be held by the grantee for a specified period of time appropriate to the amount of the grant and that facilities be used for the express purpose of the grant. If the grantee is found to be out of compliance with provisions of the contract, the grantee shall repay to the state general fund the principal amount of the grant plus interest calculated at the rate of interest on state of Washington general obligation bonds issued most closely to the date of authorization of the grant.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.63A.125 and 1999 c 295 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall establish a competitive process to solicit proposals for and prioritize projects that assist nonprofit organizations, local governments, and other entities as determined by the department in acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating facilities used for the delivery of nonresidential social services.

(2) The department shall establish a competitive process to prioritize applications for the assistance as follows:

(a) The department shall conduct a statewide solicitation of project applications from local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other entities, as determined by the department. The department shall evaluate and rank applications in consultation with a citizen advisory committee using objective criteria. At a minimum, applicants must demonstrate that the requested assistance will increase the efficiency or quality of the social services it provides to citizens. The evaluation and ranking process shall also include an examination of existing assets that applicants may apply to projects. Grant assistance under this section shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total cost of the project. The nonstate portion of the total project cost may include cash, the value of real property when acquired solely for the purpose of the project, and in-kind contributions.

(b) The department shall submit a prioritized list of recommended projects to the governor and the legislature in the department's biennial capital budget request beginning with the 2001-2003 biennium and thereafter. For the 1999-2001 biennium, the department shall conduct a solicitation and ranking process, as described in (a) of this subsection, for projects to be funded by appropriations provided for this program in the 1999-2001 capital budget. The list shall include a description of each project, the amount of recommended state funding, and documentation of nonstate funds to be used for the project. The total amount of recommended state funding for projects on a biennial project list shall not exceed four million dollars. The department may provide an additional alternate project list which shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars. Except for the 1999-2001 biennium, the department shall not sign contracts or otherwise financially obligate funds under this section until the legislature has approved a specific list of projects.

(c) In contracts for grants authorized under this section the department shall include provisions which require that capital improvements shall be held by the grantee for a specified period of time appropriate to the amount of the grant and that facilities shall be used for the express purpose of the grant. If the grantee is found to be out of compliance with provisions of the contract, the grantee shall repay to the state general fund the principal amount of the grant plus interest calculated at the rate of interest on state of Washington general obligation bonds issued most closely to the date of authorization of the grant.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act expires June 30, 2007.