1084-S AMH TAYL REIL 030

SHB 1084 - H AMD 39

By Representative Taylor

FAILED 03/03/2011

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.30 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The board on geographic names is created. The board is composed of:

    (a) The state librarian or the librarian's designee;

    (b) The commissioner of public lands or the commissioner's designee;

    (c) The director of the department of archaeology and historic preservation or the director's designee; and

    (d) Four members from the general public to be appointed by the legislature, one member each by each caucus of the senate and one member each by each caucus of the house of representatives.

    The commissioner of public lands or his or her designee shall be chairperson of the board.

    (2) The initial members appointed under subsection (1) (d) of this section shall be appointed as follows:  One member for a one-year term, one member for a two-year term, one member for a three-year term, and one member for a four-year term.  The initial terms of the members shall be selected by lot. Thereafter, each member shall be appointed for a three-year term.  Each member shall continue in office until a successor is appointed.

    (3) The board on geographic names has the power and authority to:

    (a) Establish the official names for the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features within the state and the spellings thereof except when a name is specified by law.  For the purposes of this subsection, geographic features do not include human-made features or administrative areas such as parks, game reserves, and dams, but does include human-made lakes;

    (b) Assign names to lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features in the state for which no generally accepted name has been in use;

    (c) Cooperate with county commissions, state departments, agencies, the state legislature, and the United States board on geographic names to establish, change, or determine the appropriate names of lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features for the purposes of eliminating, as far as possible, duplications of place names within the state;

    (d) Serve as a state of Washington liaison with the United States board on geographic names; and

    (e) Periodically issue a list of names approved by the board on geographic names.

    (4) The department of natural resources shall provide secretarial and administrative services for the board on geographic names and shall serve as custodian of the records.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.30 RCW to read as follows:  The board on geographic names is authorized to establish policies to carry out the purposes of sections 1 and 2 of this act.

    (1) In determining the names and spellings of geographic place names within the state of Washington, the board on geographic name's decisions may only be made after a careful consideration of all available information relating to such names, including the recommendations of the United States board on geographic names.

    (2) The board on geographic names shall cooperate with the United States board on geographic names.

    (3) Adoption of names by the board on geographic names may take place only after consideration, including public testimony, at a previous meeting.

    (4) All board on geographic name's determinations must be filed with the code reviser and must be compiled and indexed in the same manner as agency rules under RCW 34.05.210.  Determinations by the board on geographic names are not considered a rule under RCW 34.05.210.

    (5) Whenever the board on geographic names has given a name to any lake, stream, place, or other geographic feature within the state, the name must be used in all maps, records, documents, and other publications issued by the state or any of its departments and political subdivisions, and that name is the official name of the geographic feature."

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:  Removes the Board on Geographic Names as a constituted board under the Board of Natural Resources and makes it a standalone board.  Changes membership on the Board on Geographic Names. 

--- END ---