Brief Description: Clarifying community economic revitalization board membership provisions.

Brief Summary of Bill

• Clarifies that the four legislative members of the Community Economic Revitalization Board will be selected from the major caucuses of the House of Representatives and the Senate and must also be members of the legislative committees that work on issues related to economic development.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Veloria, Chair; Eickmeyer, Vice Chair; Skinner, Ranking Minority Member; Chase, Condotta, Kristiansen, McCoy, Pettigrew and Priest.

The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) program was created in 1982 to provide direct loans and grants to counties, cities, and special purpose districts for economic development-related infrastructure improvements. The CERB financing is available for public improvements that include the acquisition, construction, or repair of domestic and industrial water, sewer and storm water infrastructure; bridge, railroad, electricity, telecommunication, and road improvements; buildings and structures; port facilities; and feasibility studies. The CERB financing must be necessary to either bring a new business into a community or expand or retain an existing business that is already located in the community.

The CERB membership consists of the chair and one minority member of each of the economic development committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Governor also appoints 11 additional board members and four ex officio members. A legislative member may designate another member from his or her economic development committee to attend board meetings in his or her place.

The legislative members of the Board must be one member from each of the major caucuses of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The committee members must be from the committees that work on economic development issues. A legislative member may designate another member from his or her economic development committee to attend board meetings in his or her place so long as the designated member belongs to the same caucus.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This is the simplest bill this session, but it will make all the difference in correcting an unintended consequence of not having both major caucuses represented on the CERB due to political appointments in either house of the Legislature.

Testimony Against: (Concerns) This bill needs to take into account all areas of the state, including the rural areas, and be more inclusive in addressing the needs of communities.

Testified: Senator Hale, prime sponsor; R. Henry Rose, Poor People Campaign Project; and Kate Rothschild, Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.