SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5996

As Passed Senate, March 16, 2003

Title: An act relating to hosting the 2005 conference of the national conference of state legislatures and other government conferences.

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).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Economic Development: 2/28/03, 3/5/03 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 3/16/03, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5996 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators T. Sheldon, Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Hale, Kohl-Welles; Rossi, Schmidt, B. Sheldon and Shin.

Staff: Jack Brummel (786-7428)

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 of Bill: 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.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The bill is necessary to develop the fundraising capacity for the NCSL conference and the governmental conferences. This will bring in $8 to $9 million. This is another opportunity to showcase the state.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Senator Kohl-Welles, prime sponsor; Robin Pollard, CTED; Becky Bogard, Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureaus.