Title: An act relating to transferring responsibilities for the World War II oral history project.

Brief Description: Transferring responsibility for the World War II oral history project to the department of veterans affairs.

Sponsors: Representatives Conway, Haigh, McCoy, Linville and Dunn.

Brief History: Passed House: 2/07/06, 98-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/21/06 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin, Mulliken and Pridemore.

Staff: Cindy Fazio (786-7405)

Background: The World War II Oral History Project (Project) was created in 2000 to preserve for the education of the state's children the history and memories of the citizens who contributed to the state and country during World War II. The project is administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) when funds are appropriated or donated. The OSPI may contract with schools, the World War II Memorial Educational Foundation (Foundation), and filming and taping specialists. Additionally, the OSPI identifies requirements for instructional guides to help teachers use the material. The OSPI reports on the project to the Governor every second year, after the year 2000, in which the Project is funded.

The Advisory Committee (Committee) to the Project, convened and supported by the OSPI, includes members of the Foundation, legislators, representatives of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), the Office of the Secretary of State, and others when the need arises.

The DVA's mission is to advocate on behalf of veterans for entitlements, to help veterans heal, to give help to the homeless, to provide quality care in its veterans homes, and to honor veterans in their final resting place. The DVA is divided into three divisions: administrative services, institutional services, and veteran services.

Summary of Bill: All powers, duties, and functions of the OSPI related to the Project are transferred to the DVA. All rules and pending business are transferred to the DVA, and all existing contracts remain in full force. The validity of any act performed by the OSPI before July 1, 2006, will not be affected by this transfer of responsibility.

The following changes are made to the Advisory Committee (Committee): representatives from the Washington State Historical Society and DVA are added as Committee members; the Office of the Secretary of State and legislators are removed from the Committee; and the provision allowing the Committee to select its own chair and expand its membership is removed.

The following provisions are removed:

• the requirement to provide staffing and administrative support to the Committee;
• the requirement to identify the requirements for instructional guides; the Committee's ability to contract for services for the Project; and
• the requirement to report on the results of the Project to the Governor.
  

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on July 1, 2006.

Testimony For: The department is ready to take over this program. There are some contracts in place and we will pick them up. A very important program is the collection of oral history from women during World War II. We will continue that process.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Alfie Alvarado, Deputy Director, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs.