SSB 5372 -
By Senators Stevens, Morton
NOT ADOPTED 03/10/2007
On page 6, line 31 of the amendment, after "implementation;" strike "and"
On page 6, line 34 of the amendment, after "77.85.090" insert ";
and
(t) To the greatest extent possible, adopt the prioritized ranking
recommendations of action agenda items by the science advisors in
accordance with section 106(2)(a) of this act"
Beginning on page 9, line 9 of the amendment, strike all of section 105 and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 105
(2) The council shall solicit nominations from at a minimum:
(a) Federal and state agencies;
(b) The business community;
(c) The environmental community; and
(d) The academic community.
(3) The council shall submit the nominations to the Washington
academy of sciences for recommendation as to scientific qualifications.
The recommendations shall be based on expertise in the technical
experience and scientific disciplines needed to protect and recover the
Puget Sound ecosystem.
(4) All nominees must fully disclose all existing conflicts of
interest before their appointment.
(5)(a) The science advisors serve at the pleasure of the council.
(b) A science advisor shall be appointed or removed on a vote of
two-thirds of the full council.
(c) The science advisors report directly to the chair or vice-chair
of the council. Science advisors shall receive administrative support
from the executive director as requested by the council.
(d) The science advisors shall be contract employees to the council
and shall receive fair and adequate compensation.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 106
(2) The science advisors are responsible for:
(a) Coordinating with other state government agency scientific
personnel;
(b) Collaborating with tribal and federal agency scientific
organizations;
(c) Collaborating with local governments' scientific staff;
(d) Collaborating with nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations on
scientific issues;
(e) Recommending research projects that will meet partnership
goals;
(f) Reviewing and advising the council on performance of council-approved and funded projects;
(g) Working with the executive director to develop a strategic
science program as provided in section 104 of this act;
(h) Consulting with and supporting the executive director in
updating the strategic science program;
(i) Providing advice, review, and assistance to the executive
director in the development of the action agenda, as described in
section 112 of this act;
(j) Assisting the council and the executive director in developing
and regularly updating or revising the action agenda. In particular,
the science advisors shall provide a prioritized ranking of action
agenda actions based on a scientific assessment of which actions will
yield the greatest restoration and/or protection return on investment.
The science advisors may also recommend updates to the action agenda as
it deems appropriate based on new scientific information;
(k) Consolidating and interpreting information in support of
council actions;
(l) Providing legislative briefing on request of the council or
governor; and
(m) Promoting science in K-12 education in support of partnership
goals.
(3) The council may, on the recommendations of the science
advisors, contract for scientific support when necessary to fill
information gaps or provide services necessary to partnership goals.
All contracts shall be for fixed term and shall contain specific
performance criteria. The council chair or vice-chair shall appoint a
science advisor to monitor the progress on each contract and report
periodically to the council.
(4) By July 31, 2008, the science advisors shall identify
environmental indicators of the health of Puget Sound and establish
environmental benchmarks that need to be achieved to meet the goals of
a healthy Puget Sound by 2020.
(5) One science advisor shall participate, as provided by the
Washington academy of sciences charter, to ensure coordination of
scientific activities.
(6) The science advisors shall monitor and comment on the
development of the action agenda. The science advisors shall submit an
analysis of the action agenda to the legislature, which may include
both majority and minority reports, on the effectiveness of the
proposed actions from a scientific perspective.
(7) The council science advisors may provide technical assistance
to entities identified by the council as supporting the 2020 plan
goals."
Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.
EFFECT: Deletes the Science Advisory Committee section and
replaces it with:
a. A procedure for stakeholders to nominate individuals for the
Leadership Council's consideration and selection of three council
science advisors. Nominees would be screened for qualification by the
Washington Academy of Sciences.
b. The Leadership Council would be best served by a consistent and
reliable source of scientific information and interpretation--to be
accomplished by fairly and adequately compensated science advisors.
c. Science advisors are vested with the ability to provide the
Leadership Council with a prioritized ranking of action agenda actions,
based on a scientific assessment, of which actions will yield the
greatest restoration or protection return on investment.