Title: An act relating to state capitol campus governance.

Brief Description: Creating the legislative buildings committee.

Sponsors: House Committee on Capital Budget (originally sponsored by Representatives Hunt, Alexander, Ormsby, Jarrett, Dunshee, Williams and Moeller).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/11/05, 93-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/31/05 [DPA, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Fairley, Kline, McCaslin and Pridemore.

Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by Senators Roach, Ranking Minority Member; and Benton.

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: The governance of the capitol campus, and all state facilities in Thurston County, is through the State Capitol Committee (SCC), with day-to-day management provided by the Department of General Administration (GA). The SCC was established by the Legislature in 1921 and replaced the State Capitol Commission created in 1901. The SCC: (1) approves construction of all state buildings in Thurston County; (2) approves acquisition of real estate for state government in Thurston County; and (3) carries out other duties as specified by the Legislature. The members of the SCC are the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Commissioner of Public Lands (ex officio).

The Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee (CCDAC) advises the SCC and the Department of General Administration regarding state capitol facilities and grounds. The CCDAC consists of four legislators, the Secretary of State, two architects, a landscape architect, and an urban planner. Staff resources are provided by the Department of General Administration. The CCDAC was originally created by executive order in 1984, continued through budget provisos, and enacted into statute in 1990.

The Legislative Building Renovation Oversight Committee was created in 2001 to provide advice regarding the rehabilitation of the Legislative Building. It consists of four legislators.

The Department of General Administration provides staff support to the SCC and the CCDAC, and manages the capitol campus facilities and grounds on a day-to-day basis.

The Joint Select Committee on Historic Capitol District Governance was created in the 2002 Supplemental Capital Budget. Consisting of four legislators, the committee is to make recommendations on governance of the historic capitol campus buildings.

The Capitol Furnishings Preservation Committee is comprised of legislators, representatives of statewide offices, the Washington State Historical Society, and private citizens. The committee was established to: (1) promote and encourage the recovery and preservation of the original and historic furnishings of several buildings including the Legislative building, the Insurance building, the Cherberg building, the John L. O'Brien building, the Newhouse building, and the Temple of Justice building; (2) prevent the future loss of historic furnishings; and (3) review and advise future remodeling and restoration projects pertaining to historic furnishings. The committee also has authority to decide whether capitol campus furnishings over 50 years old are surplus or historic items. The committee's authority does not extend to the placement of any historic furnishings within these buildings.

Summary of Amended Bill: Two committees are created, each with the charge to provide for construction, remodeling, space planning and furnishing; and each with the authority to allocate internal space, make policy for historic preservation of interiors and furnishings, authority regarding offices, committee rooms, hearing rooms, work rooms, public areas and policy for lands and parking adjacent to the buildings of their responsibility. The State Legislative Building Oversight Committee (SLBOC) has charge of the legislative building and Pritchard Building to provide office space for the Governor, other statewide elected officials and state agencies. The Legislative Facilities Oversight Committee (LFOC) has charge of the Cherberg, O'Brien and Newhouse Buildings. It must coordinate with the State Capitol Committee (SCC) while the SLBOC does not have this directive.

The members of the SLBOC are the members of the SCC plus four legislators equally divided among the two caucuses and houses and appointed by the respective caucus leaders. The members of the LFOC are the same four legislators appointed to the SLBOC.

The three committees, SCC, SLBOC and LFOC, direct and guide the Department of General Administration in discharging its duties to the Legislative, Newhouse, Cherberg, O'Brien and Pritchard Buildings. The decisions of the Capitol Furnishings Preservation Committee must be consistent with the policies established by the three committees. The Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the three committees.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: The bill as referred to committee was not considered.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: Yes.

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

Testimony For: The House has worked on this for three years. The objective is to have legislative involvement in capitol campus governance. This compromise keeps the SCC intact. Legislators govern the buildings they occupy. This puts in statute what is already done administratively. General Administration is very much in favor of clarifying and strengthening governance of the capitol campus and has question about how it will work. The SCC is 106 years old. It always had authority over Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater. It was instrumental in space allocation for the Legislative Building 2 or 3 years ago. This needs looked at long term and not made a quick decision.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Representative Sam Hunt, sponsor; Senator Harriet Spanel; Patrick McDonald, Secretary of State; Lenore Miller, General Administration.