BILL REQ. #:  H-4120.1 

Read first time 01/12/10.   Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.

     AN ACT Relating to the Puget Sound partnership leadership council; and amending RCW 90.71.230.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 90.71.230 and 2007 c 341 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The leadership council shall have the power and duty to:
     (a) Provide leadership and have responsibility for the functions of the partnership, including adopting, revising, and guiding the implementation of the action agenda, allocating funds for Puget Sound recovery, research, data collection, and providing progress and other reports, setting strategic priorities and benchmarks, adopting and applying accountability measures, and making appointments to the board and panel;
     (b) Adopt rules, in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW;
     (c) Create subcommittees and advisory committees as appropriate to assist the council;
     (d) Enter into, amend, and terminate contracts with individuals, corporations, nonprofit organizations, or research institutions to effectuate the purposes of this chapter;
     (e) Make grants to governmental and nongovernmental entities to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, including those purposes described in (a) of this subsection;
     (f) Receive such gifts, grants, and endowments, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the partnership to effectuate the purposes of this chapter;
     (g) Promote extensive public awareness, education, and participation in Puget Sound protection and recovery;
     (h) Work collaboratively with the Hood Canal coordinating council established in chapter 90.88 RCW on Hood Canal-specific issues;
     (i) Maintain complete and consolidated financial information to ensure that all funds received and expended to implement the action agenda have been accounted for; and
     (j) ((Such other powers and)) Perform other duties as are necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this chapter, including the establishment of nonprofit organizations.
     (2) The council may delegate functions to the chair and to the executive director, however the council may not delegate its decisional authority regarding developing or amending the action agenda.
     (3) The council shall work closely with existing organizations and all levels of government to ensure that the action agenda and its implementation are scientifically sound, efficient, and achieve necessary results to accomplish recovery of Puget Sound to health by 2020.
     (4) The council shall support, engage, and foster collaboration among watershed groups to assist in the recovery of Puget Sound.
     (5) When working with federally recognized Indian tribes to develop and implement the action agenda, the council shall conform to the procedures and standards required in a government-to-governmental relationship with tribes under the 1989 Centennial Accord between the state of Washington and the sovereign tribal governments in the state of Washington.
     (6) Members of the council shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.220 and be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.