FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5996

PARTIAL VETO

C 408 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating a committee to host the 2005 NCSL conference.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Economic Development (originally sponsored by Senators West, Brown, Kohl-Welles, T. Sheldon, Shin, Hale, Rossi, Fairley, Spanel, Franklin, Parlette, McAuliffe, Rasmussen and Winsley).

Senate Committee on Economic Development

House Committee on State Government

Background: The Washington Legislature will host the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in 2005.

State officers and employees may not accept gifts exceeding $50 except under certain circumstances.

Summary: The 2005 NCSL Host Committee is established. The committee is composed of four members of the Senate, two from each party, and four members of the House of Representatives, two from each party; the Lieutenant Governor; the Secretary of the Senate; the Chief Clerk of the House; and two former members of the Legislature, one from each party. The committee may solicit, accept, and expend funds for hosting the 2005 NCSL convention. The committee is to receive staff and resources from the Senate and the House.

The 2005 NCSL Host Committee Account is created in the treasurer's office. Expenditures from the account are limited to those needed to finance the activities of the committee. An appropriation is not required for expenditures from the account.

Gifts, grants, and other transfers of real and/or personal property may be solicited and accepted for purposes of hosting a government conference, without regard to the $50 limitation on acceptance of gifts by state officers and employees.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       48   0

House       76  13

Effective: July 27, 2003

Partial Veto Summary: Sections 3 and 4 of the bill, which permit solicitation for hosting government conferences, without regard to the $50 limitation, are vetoed.