Brief Description: Directing the board of natural resources to exchange certain common school trust land.

Sponsors: Representatives Veloria, Skinner, Dunshee, Kenney, Campbell, Haigh, McDermott, Hankins, Miloscia, Kirby, Lovick, Sullivan, Simpson, G., Rockefeller, Cooper, Santos, Cairnes, Benson, Eickmeyer, Murray, Jarrett, Mastin, Grant, Anderson, Cody, Upthegrove, Chase, Morrell, Tom and O'Brien.

Hearing Date: 2/2/04

Staff: Charlie Gavigan (786-7340).

Background:

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges oversees 34 institutions, including South Seattle Community College. Community and technical colleges own and lease a variety of facilities related to their education mission.

At the time of statehood, the federal government gave Washington State lands to be held in trust for several specified purposes. These include lands for common schools, a state capitol, and lands for charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions purposes. These lands are overseen by the Board of Natural Resources and administered by the Department of Natural Resources. There are approximately 1.75 million acres of common school trust lands and approximately 70,000 acres of charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions trust lands. Income from these trust lands is appropriated in the capital budget, the former for common school construction and the latter for capital programs/facilities of the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Corrections.

In 1985, legislation required the Board of Natural Resources to exchange common school trust lands on which 3 community and technical colleges were located with charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions trust lands (CEPRI trust lands), so that the community and technical colleges could use the CEPRI trust lands at no cost.

Summary of Bill:

The Board of Natural Resources must exchange the "Hats and Boots" parcel adjacent to the Duwamish Training Center branch of South Seattle Committee College, which is currently common school trust land, with land of equal value in the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions (CEPRI) trust. After the exchange, which will make the "Hats and Boots" parcel CEPRI trust land, the Board of Natural Resources must lease this parcel to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges for one dollar per year.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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