BILL REQ. #:  H-3850.1 

Read first time 01/11/2006.   Referred to Committee on Local Government.

     AN ACT Relating to the establishment of a blue ribbon growth management needs and priorities task force; 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 blue ribbon growth management needs and priorities task force is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
     (i) The president of the senate shall appoint two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.
     (ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.
     (iii) The governor shall appoint eleven members representing, at a minimum, the following entities: State agencies whose policies, practices, and procedures have a direct impact on the development and implementation of growth management goals and requirements; cities; counties; regional transportation planning organizations; major employers; academia; developers; agricultural business; environmental conservation; planning associations; and the general public. In appointing members of academia to the task force, preference shall be given to scholars from the following fields: Urban planning; economics; taxation; business administration; public administration; environmental and natural resources sciences; or other relevant disciplines.
     (b) In addition, the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development, or the director's designee, shall serve as a nonvoting liaison representative on behalf of the department of community, trade, and economic development.
     (c) The task force shall choose two cochairs from among its legislative membership.
     The governor shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.
     (2) The task force shall conduct a comprehensive analysis of statewide growth management needs and priorities; existing and potential funding mechanisms; and the policies and practices of governmental entities, private businesses, and the general public that affect the development and implementation of growth management goals and requirements.
     (3) The task force, when appropriate, may consult with individuals from the public and private sectors or ask those individuals to establish one or more advisory committees. Members of these advisory committees are not entitled to expense reimbursement.
     (4) The task force may contract with additional persons who have specific technical expertise if that expertise is necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. Such a contract may be entered into only if an appropriation is specifically provided for in the operations of the task force.
     (5) Staff support for the task force shall be provided by the senate committee services, the house office of program research, the department of community, trade, and economic development, and the office of financial management.
     (6) 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 be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (7) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the expenses of the task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
     (8) The task force shall provide quarterly progress reports to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature. The task force shall report its final findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by June 30, 2008.
     (9) This section expires June 30, 2008.