BILL REQ. #:  H-4262.1 

Read first time 01/19/2006.   Referred to Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability.

     AN ACT Relating to transferring responsibilities for the World War II oral history project; amending RCW 28A.300.370; adding a new section to chapter 43.60A RCW; creating a new section; recodifying RCW 28A.300.370; and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.300.370 and 2005 c 75 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The World War II oral history project is established for the purpose of providing oral history presentations, documentation, and other materials to assist the ((office of the superintendent of public instruction)) department and educators in the development of a curriculum for use in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
     (2) To the extent funds are appropriated or donated, the project shall be administered by the ((office of the superintendent of public instruction)) department. The ((office)) department shall convene an advisory committee to assist in the design and implementation of the project. The committee shall be composed of representatives of the Washington state historical society, members of the World War II memorial educational foundation, and representatives of the department of veterans affairs((, the secretary of state's office, and legislators involved with and interested in the development of the oral history project. The committee may select its own chair and may expand its membership to include the services of other individuals, agencies, or organizations on the basis of need. The office shall provide staffing and administrative support to the advisory committee)).
     (3) The project will preserve for the education of Washington's school children the memories and history of our state's citizens who served their state and country as members of the armed forces or through national or community contributions during World War II. The project is intended to preserve these memories and history through audiotapes, videotapes, films, stories, printed transcripts, digitally, and through other appropriate methods.
     (4) Any funding provided to the program through the omnibus appropriations act for the 2005-2007 biennium shall be used to record the memories of women who meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.
     (((5) As part of the project, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall identify the requirements regarding instructional guides to help educators use the preserved material in age and grade appropriate ways.
     (6) In its administration of the project, the office may carry out its responsibilities through contracts with filming and taping specialists, mini-grants to schools, contracts with the World War II memorial educational foundation, and through other means recommended by the foundation.
     (7) By December 1, 2000, and every second year thereafter in which the project has received funding, the office shall report on the results of the project to the governor and the house of representatives and senate committees on education. The December 2000 report shall include, but need not be limited to, identification of the project's implementation strategies and resource requirements, and any curriculum standards developed through the project.))

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) All powers, duties, and functions of the superintendent of public instruction pertaining to the World War II oral history project are transferred to the department of veterans affairs.
     (2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the superintendent of public instruction pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the department of veterans affairs. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the superintendent of public instruction in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the department of veterans affairs. All funds, credits, or other assets held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the department of veterans affairs.
     (b) Any appropriations made to the superintendent of public instruction for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on the effective date of this section, be transferred and credited to the department of veterans affairs.
     (c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.
     (3) All rules and all pending business before the superintendent of public instruction pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the department of veterans affairs. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the department of veterans affairs.
     (4) The transfer of the powers, duties, and functions of the superintendent of public instruction shall not affect the validity of any act performed before the effective date of this section.
     (5) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   RCW 28A.300.370 is recodified as a new section in chapter 43.60A RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act takes effect July 1, 2006.