BILL REQ. #: H-4125.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/03/12.
AN ACT Relating to a competitive grant program for arts and cultural facilities; and amending RCW 43.63A.750.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 43.63A.750 and 2006 c 371 s 235 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A competitive grant program is created to assist the following
nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in acquiring, constructing,
or rehabilitating the organization's facilities: Performing arts
organizations, art museums, ((and)) cultural ((facilities is created))
organizations, zoos, aquariums, and technology and science centers. To
be eligible, a zoo or aquarium must be an organization accredited by
the association of zoos and aquariums and a technology and science
center must be an organization that meets the requirements to be a
member of the association of science - technology centers.
(2)(a) The department shall submit a list of recommended
((performing arts, art museum projects, and cultural organization))
facilities projects, for organizations listed in subsection (1) of this
section, that are eligible for funding to the governor and the
legislature in the department's biennial capital budget request
beginning with the 2001-2003 biennium and thereafter. The list, in
priority order, shall include a description of each project, the amount
of recommended state funding, and documentation of nonstate funds to be
used for the project. The total amount of recommended state funding
for projects on a biennial project list shall not exceed ((twelve))
sixteen million dollars.
(b) The department shall establish a competitive process to
prioritize applications for state assistance as follows:
(i) The department shall conduct a statewide solicitation of
project applications from nonprofit organizations, local governments,
and other entities, as determined by the department. The department
shall evaluate and rank applications in consultation with a citizen
advisory committee, including a representative from the state arts
commission, using objective criteria. The evaluation and ranking
process shall also consider local community support for projects and an
examination of existing assets that applicants may apply to projects.
(ii) The department may establish the amount of state grant
assistance for individual project applications but the amount shall not
exceed twenty percent of the estimated total capital cost or actual
cost of a project, whichever is less. The remaining portions of the
project capital cost shall be a match from nonstate sources. The
nonstate match may include cash, the value of real property when
acquired solely for the purpose of the project, and in-kind
contributions. The department is authorized to set matching
requirements for individual projects. State assistance may be used to
fund separate definable phases of a project if the project demonstrates
adequate progress and has secured the necessary match funding.
(iii) The department shall not sign contracts or otherwise
financially obligate funds under this section until the legislature has
approved a specific list of projects. In contracts for grants
authorized under this section, the department shall include provisions
requiring that capital improvements be held by the grantee for a
specified period of time appropriate to the amount of the grant and
that facilities be used for the express purpose of the grant. If the
grantee is found to be out of compliance with provisions of the
contract, the grantee shall repay to the state general fund the
principal amount of the grant plus interest calculated at the rate of
interest on state of Washington general obligation bonds issued most
closely to the date of authorization of the grant.