BILL REQ. #:  H-1927.1 

Read first time 02/21/2005.   Referred to Committee on Technology, Energy & Communications.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a legislative task force to study telecommunications and information technology; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1)(a) A legislative task force on telecommunications and information technology is established. The task force shall consist of the following members:
     (i) Seven members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate; at least one member from each caucus shall be a member of the senate labor, commerce, research, and development committee;
     (ii) Seven members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; at least one member from each caucus shall be a member of the house technology, energy, and communications committee;
     (iii) Five members representing telecommunications and information industries including but not limited to cable industry representatives, broadcast and print media, and internet representatives, appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives; and
     (iv) Five members representing consumer groups and the general public, including community-based noncommercial media, appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.
     (b) In addition, the department of information services and office of financial management shall cooperate with the task force and maintain a liaison representative, who shall be a nonvoting member. The department shall cooperate with the task force and provide information as the chair may reasonably request. The task force shall choose its chair from among its membership.
     (2) The task force shall review the following issues:
     (a) Taxation of telecommunications, cable, and internet services;
     (b) Sales taxes as related to online commerce;
     (c) Taxes on radio and television advertising;
     (d) Taxes on satellite services;
     (e) Use of public rights of way by the entities in (a) through (d) of this subsection;
     (f) The impact of these taxes on the revenue needs of local governments; and
     (g) The impact of changing technologies and universal service policies.
     (3) The task force, where feasible, may consult with individuals from the public and private sector or ask such persons to establish an advisory committee.
     (4)(a) The task force shall use legislative facilities, and staff support shall be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research. The task force may hire additional staff with specific technical expertise if such expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of this study.
     (b) Legislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to receive compensation in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, such reimbursement to be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives.
     (c) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the expenses of the task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives.
     (5) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2006.
     (6) This section expires July 1, 2007.