BILL REQ. #: S-1660.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/11.
AN ACT Relating to authorizing the creation of cultural access authorities; amending RCW 84.52.010 and 36.96.010; adding a new section to chapter 82.14 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 36 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 101
(a) The cultural organizations of the state provide numerous public
benefits. Providing support for the state's cultural organizations is
in the public interest and will serve multiple public purposes
including, among others, enhancing and extending the educational reach
and offerings of cultural organizations; ensuring continued and
expanded access to the facilities and programs of cultural
organizations by economically and geographically underserved
populations; and providing financial stability to the organizations to
enable them to focus on core missions as well as to continue and extend
the numerous public benefits they provide.
(b) Cultural organizations represent an essential component of the
state's overall quality of life, contributing substantially to the
state's attractiveness and competitiveness in the global economy.
(c) Cultural organizations are themselves a significant component
of the state's economy. Through their numerous missions and offerings,
they afford the state's citizens meaningful and life enriching
educational and other experiences.
(d) Cultural institutions are an essential source of knowledge and
inspiration for the citizens of the state.
(2) The purpose of this chapter is to authorize the education and
arts access program, under which education and arts cultural access
authorities authorize funding for public school education and arts
access programs and support cultural organizations, subject to voter
approval.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 201
(1) "Administrative costs" means all operating, administrative, and
maintenance expenses of an authority, a designated public agency, or a
designated entity.
(2) "Attendance" means the total number of visits by persons in
physical attendance during a year at cultural organization facilities
located or cultural organization programs provided within an authority
service area, including attendance for which admission was paid,
discounted, or free, consistent with and verifiable under guidelines
adopted by the appropriate authority.
(3) "Authority" means an education and arts cultural access
authority under the education and arts access program.
(4) "Authority board" means the board of directors of an authority.
(5) "Community-based organization" means a cultural organization or
a community preservation and development authority formed under chapter
43.167 RCW prior to January 1, 2011, that primarily functions, focuses
its activities, and is supported or patronized within a local community
and is not a regional organization, subject to further definition under
guidelines adopted by the appropriate designated public agency.
(6) "Cultural organization" means a nonprofit corporation
incorporated under the laws of the state of Washington and recognized
by the internal revenue service as described in section 501(c)(3) of
the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended, with its principal
location or locations and conducting a majority of its activities
within the state, not including: Any agency of the state or any of its
political subdivisions; any municipal corporation; any educational
institution; any organization that raises funds for redistribution to
cultural organizations; or any radio or television broadcasting network
or station, cable communications system, internet-based communications
venture or service, newspaper, or magazine. The primary purpose of the
organization must be the advancement and preservation of science or
technology, the visual or performing arts, zoology, botany,
anthropology, or cultural or natural history and any organization shall
directly provide programming or experiences available to the general
public. Any organization with the primary purpose of advancing and
preserving zoology such as zoos and aquariums must be or support a
facility that is accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums or
its functional successor. A state-related cultural organization may be
a cultural organization.
(7) "Designated entity" means the entity designated by the
legislative authority of a participating county. The entity may be a
public agency, including the state arts commission established under
chapter 43.46 RCW, or a Washington nonprofit corporation that is not a
cultural organization eligible for funding under this chapter.
(8) "Designated public agency" means the agency designated by the
legislative authority of a participating county within an authority
service area.
(9) "Participating county" means a county that participated in the
formation of an authority under this chapter.
(10) "Regional organization" means a cultural organization that
owns, operates, or supports cultural facilities or provides
performances, exhibits, educational programs, experiences, or
entertainment that widely benefit and are broadly attended by the
public within the authority service area, subject to further definition
under guidelines adopted by the appropriate authority. A regional
organization may also generally be characterized under authority
guidelines as a financially stable, substantial organization with
full-time support and program staff, maintaining a broad-based
membership within the authority service area, having year-round or
enduring seasonal operations, being a substantial financial contributor
to the development, operation, and maintenance of the organization's
principal venue or venues, and providing substantial public benefits
within the authority service area.
(11) "Revenues" means revenues generated by a cultural
organization, consistent with generally accepted accounting practices
and any authority guidelines, excluding: (a) Revenues associated with
capital projects other than major maintenance projects including, but
not limited to, capital campaign expenses; (b) funds provided under
this chapter; (c) revenue that would be considered unrelated business
taxable income under the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended; and
(d) with respect to a state-related cultural organization, state
funding received by it or for the institution it supports. Revenues
include transfers from an organization's endowment or reserves and may
include the value of in-kind goods and services to the extent permitted
under any authority guidelines.
(12) "Service area" means the area in which an authority functions
that is coterminous with the boundaries of one county or two or more
contiguous participating counties.
(13) "State-related cultural organization" means an organization
incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the state of
Washington and recognized by the internal revenue service as described
in section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended,
with a primary purpose and directly providing programming or
experiences available to the general public consistent with the
requirements for recognition as a cultural organization under this
chapter operating in a facility owned and supported by the state, a
state agency, or state educational institution.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 301
(b) Any contiguous group of counties may create an authority by
entering into an interlocal agreement under chapter 39.34 RCW, approved
by resolution of the county legislative authorities.
(c) The interlocal agreement under which an authority is formed
shall provide for reduction or expansion of an authority's service area
over time as needed following any election to impose or extend either
a voted sales and use tax or a voted property tax as provided in
section 302 of this act. Such interlocal agreement must provide for
revisions to the governance structure and the allocation of the
proceeds of voter-approved taxes to coincide with any changes in the
number of counties included within the service area of any authority in
a manner consistent with this act.
(2) An authority service area must be coextensive with the
boundaries of the participating county or counties that created the
authority, including incorporated areas.
(3)(a) An authority created by a single participating county with
a population less than one million five hundred thousand must be
governed by a five-member authority board consisting of five members
appointed by the county legislative authority. An authority created by
a single participating county with a population of more than one
million five hundred thousand must be governed by a five-member
authority board consisting of three members appointed by the
legislative authority of the county; and one member appointed by the
legislative authority of each of the two largest cities by population
as of formation of the authority. The members of the authority board
shall serve four-year terms. Of the initial members, one must be
appointed for a one-year initial term, one must be appointed for a two-year initial term, one must be appointed for a three-year initial term,
and the remainder must be appointed for four-year terms.
(b) Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, an authority
created by two or more participating counties under subsection (1)(b)
of this section must be governed by an authority board as provided in
the interlocal agreement creating the authority. The interlocal
agreement must specify the number of members of the authority board,
the total number of which must be an odd number. The board of an
authority created by four or fewer participating counties may not have
more than nine members, and not more than two of whom may be appointed
by the legislative authority of any one participating county. The
board of an authority created by more than four participating counties
may not have more than eleven members. The interlocal agreement
creating the authority must allocate responsibility for the appointment
of the members of the authority board among the legislative authorities
of the participating counties. If the total number of participating
counties or the allocation of appointment responsibility provided in
the interlocal agreement precludes each participating county from
appointing at least one member of the initial board of the authority,
the interlocal agreement may provide for rotation of responsibility for
some board member appointments among the legislative authorities of the
participating counties as board member vacancies occur. The members of
the authority board shall serve four-year terms. The interlocal
agreement creating the authority must divide the board into three
classes of relatively equal size. Of the initial members of the board,
one class of members must be appointed for a two-year initial term; one
class of members must be appointed for a three-year initial term, and
the remainder must be appointed for a four-year initial term.
(c) An authority created by up to four participating counties with
an aggregate population of more than two million five hundred thousand
must be governed by a seven to nine-member authority board as follows:
(i) With respect to a two-county authority formed under this
subsection, two members appointed by the legislative authority of each
participating county; one member appointed by the legislative authority
of each of the two largest cities by population as of formation of the
authority in the larger participating county by population as of
formation of the authority; and one member appointed by the legislative
authority of the largest city by population as of formation of the
authority in the smaller participating county by population as of
formation of the authority; and (ii) with respect to a three or four-county authority formed under this subsection, one member appointed by
the legislative authority of each participating county; one member
appointed by the legislative authority of each of the two largest
cities by population as of formation of the authority in the largest
participating county by population as of formation of the authority;
and one member appointed by the legislative authority of the largest
city by population as of formation of the authority in each of the
other participating counties. A county legislative authority
appointing members under this subsection shall solicit recommendations
from the county cultural commission, if any, and the county's
designated public agency prior to final approval of any appointment or
appointments. The members of the authority board shall serve four-year
terms. The interlocal agreement creating the authority must divide the
board into three classes of relatively equal size. Of the initial
members of the board, one class of members must be appointed for a two-year initial term; one class of members must be appointed for a
three-year initial term; and the remainder must be appointed for a
four-year initial term.
(d)(i) Authority board members may not be members of the
legislative authorities of a participating county or of any city or
town located in a participating county.
(ii) In any participating county with an elected county executive,
authority board members appointed by the county legislative authority
must be nominated by the county executive, subject to confirmation by
the county legislative authority.
(iii) A vacancy on an authority board must be filled in the same
manner as the original appointment was made, and the person appointed
to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term
of the office for the position to which he or she was appointed.
(iv) Any board member may be removed from office by action of at
least two-thirds of the members of the legislative authority that made
the appointment.
(v) Authority board members may serve up to two full consecutive
terms, in addition to serving one shorter initial term upon the
formation of an authority or one shorter unexpired term filling a board
vacancy.
(4) An authority is a municipal corporation, a political
subdivision, an independent taxing authority, and a taxing district.
(5) An authority constitutes a body corporate and possesses all the
usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other
powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute.
(6) An authority board must adopt ethics policies consistent with
applicable law and generally recognized best practices for comparable
entities addressing disclosure and management of potential conflicts of
interest, among other matters. The policies must apply to authority
board members, officers, and employees.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 302
NEW SECTION. Sec. 303
(b) In the case of a multicounty authority, funds advanced must be
provided pro rata by each participating county based on the relative
size of the population of each county.
(2) The county or counties creating an authority must require
repayment of start-up funding advanced to an authority from the
proceeds of taxes authorized under sections 401 through 403 of this act
and approved by voters after the taxes are first collected. The funds
must be repaid to the participating county or counties with interest at
the internal rate of return on the invested funds of each participating
county.
(3)(a) An authority must be dissolved three years after its
formation unless it has secured voter approval of one of the taxes
authorized herein. Upon dissolution of an authority after three years
without securing voter approval of a proposed tax, an authority may not
again be formed under this chapter by the same county or combination of
counties for three years following the dissolution of a predecessor.
(b) One or more of the counties participating in the formation of
a dissolved authority may form another authority under this chapter
without delay if the participant or combination of participants in the
formation of another authority differs from the participant or
combination of participants in the formation of the dissolved
authority.
(c) Any expended funds of the participating county or counties
advanced to an authority that is dissolved as provided under this
section need not be repaid to the participating county or counties.
Any remaining funds on hand upon dissolution must be returned to the
participating counties.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 304
NEW SECTION. Sec. 305
NEW SECTION. Sec. 306
(1) Maintain an office or offices;
(2) Sue and be sued in its own name, and plead and be impleaded;
(3) Engage consultants, agents, attorneys, and advisers, contract
with state and local governmental entities for services, and hire as
provided in sections 310 and 311 of this act such employees, agents,
and other personnel as the authority deems necessary, useful, or
convenient to accomplish its purposes;
(4) Establish procurement policies by resolution, including
procedures for competitive procurement of services when required under
its established policies;
(5) Make and execute all manner of contracts, agreements, and
documents with public and private parties as the authority deems
necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;
(6) Acquire and hold real or personal property, or any interest
therein, in the name of the authority, and sell, assign, lease,
encumber, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of the same in the manner as
the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its
purposes. Any county legislative authority may transfer property, with
or without consideration, to an authority created under this chapter;
(7) Open and maintain accounts in qualified public depositaries and
otherwise provide for the investment of any funds not required for
immediate disbursement, and provide for the selection of investments;
(8) Appear in its own behalf before boards, commissions,
departments, or agencies of federal, state, or local government;
(9) Procure insurance in amounts and from insurers as the authority
deems desirable including, but not limited to, insurance against any
loss or damage to its property or other assets, public liability
insurance for injuries to persons or property, and liability insurance
with limits an authority board deems reasonable for the purpose of
protecting and holding personally harmless board members, officers, and
employees of the authority against liability arising from their acts or
omissions while performing or in good faith purporting to perform their
official duties;
(10) Apply for and accept grants, loans, advances, and
contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other
things of value, to be held, used, and applied as the authority deems
necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes, without
competing with cultural organizations as defined under this chapter or
private organizations that raise funds for distribution to cultural
organizations;
(11) Make expenditures as are appropriate for paying the
administrative costs and expenses of the authority in carrying out the
provisions of this chapter;
(12) Establish reserves and special funds, and controls on deposits
to and disbursements from them, as the authority deems necessary,
useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;
(13) Prepare, publish, and distribute, with or without charge,
studies, reports, bulletins, and other material as the authority deems
necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;
(14) Conduct meetings at which members participating through the
use of any means of communication by which all members participating
can hear each other during the meeting are deemed to be present in
person at the meeting for all purposes;
(15) Delegate any of its powers and duties if consistent with the
purposes of this chapter;
(16) Adopt rules and guidelines as may be necessary to implement
this chapter; and
(17) Exercise any other power the authority deems necessary,
useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes and exercise the
powers expressly granted in this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 307
NEW SECTION. Sec. 308
NEW SECTION. Sec. 309
NEW SECTION. Sec. 310
NEW SECTION. Sec. 311
NEW SECTION. Sec. 312
NEW SECTION. Sec. 401
(2) If an authority imposes sales and use taxes under section 402
of this act, the authority may not impose a regular property tax levy
under section 403 of this act.
(3) If an authority imposes a regular property tax levy under
section 403 of this act, the authority may not impose sales and use
taxes under section 402 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 402 A new section is added to chapter 82.14
RCW to read as follows:
(2) The tax authorized in this section is in addition to any other
taxes authorized by law and must be collected from those persons who
are taxable by the state under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW upon the
occurrence of any taxable event within the authority.
(3) The authority board may extend a tax imposed under this section
for one or more additional periods of up to seven years, in each case
when specifically authorized to extend the tax by a majority of the
voters voting on a proposition submitted at a special election.
(4) Moneys collected under this section may only be used for the
purposes set forth in section 601 of this act.
(5) The department must perform the collection of taxes under this
section on behalf of an authority at no cost to the authority, and the
state treasurer must distribute those taxes as available on a monthly
basis to the authority or, upon the direction of the authority, to its
treasurer or a fiscal agent, paying agent, or trustee for obligations
issued or incurred by the authority.
(6) The definitions in section 201 of this act apply to this
section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 403 A new section is added to chapter 84.52
RCW to read as follows:
(2) The authority board may extend a tax imposed under subsection
(1) of this section for one or more additional periods of up to seven
years, in each case when specifically authorized to extend the tax by
a majority of the voters voting on a proposition submitted at a special
election. The ballot proposition must set forth the total dollar
amount to be collected in the first year of the extended levy, which
dollar amount may not exceed an amount equal to: (a) The total number
of taxable retail sales and taxable uses in the participating counties
within the authority service area for the most recent calendar year as
reported by the department of revenue; multiplied by (b) one-tenth of
one percent.
(3) In the event an authority is levying property taxes that, in
combination with property taxes levied by other taxing districts exceed
the limitations in RCW 84.52.043 and 84.52.050, the authority's
property tax levy must be reduced or eliminated consistent with RCW
84.52.010.
(4) The limitation in RCW 84.55.010 does not apply to the first
levy imposed under this section following the approval of the levy by
the voters under subsection (1) of this section or to the first levy
imposed under this section following the approval of an extension of
the tax by the voters under subsection (2) of this section.
(5) Moneys collected under this section may only be used for the
purposes set forth in section 601 of this act.
(6) The definitions in section 201 of this act apply to this
section.
Sec. 404 RCW 84.52.010 and 2009 c 551 s 7 are each amended to
read as follows:
Except as is permitted under RCW 84.55.050, all taxes shall be
levied or voted in specific amounts.
The rate percent of all taxes for state and county purposes, and
purposes of taxing districts coextensive with the county, shall be
determined, calculated and fixed by the county assessors of the
respective counties, within the limitations provided by law, upon the
assessed valuation of the property of the county, as shown by the
completed tax rolls of the county, and the rate percent of all taxes
levied for purposes of taxing districts within any county shall be
determined, calculated and fixed by the county assessors of the
respective counties, within the limitations provided by law, upon the
assessed valuation of the property of the taxing districts
respectively.
When a county assessor finds that the aggregate rate of tax levy on
any property, that is subject to the limitations set forth in RCW
84.52.043 or 84.52.050, exceeds the limitations provided in either of
these sections, the assessor shall recompute and establish a
consolidated levy in the following manner:
(1) The full certified rates of tax levy for state, county, county
road district, and city or town purposes shall be extended on the tax
rolls in amounts not exceeding the limitations established by law;
however any state levy shall take precedence over all other levies and
shall not be reduced for any purpose other than that required by RCW
84.55.010. If, as a result of the levies imposed under RCW 36.54.130,
84.34.230, 84.52.069, 84.52.105, the portion of the levy by a
metropolitan park district that was protected under RCW 84.52.120,
84.52.125, 84.52.135, and 84.52.140, the combined rate of regular
property tax levies that are subject to the one percent limitation
exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property, then
these levies shall be reduced as follows:
(a) The levy imposed by a county under RCW 84.52.140 shall be
reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property or shall be eliminated;
(b) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, the portion of the levy by a fire
protection district that is protected under RCW 84.52.125 shall be
reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property or shall be eliminated;
(c) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, the levy imposed by a county under
RCW 84.52.135 must be reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds
one percent of the true and fair value of any property or must be
eliminated;
(d) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, the levy imposed by a ferry
district under RCW 36.54.130 must be reduced until the combined rate no
longer exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any property
or must be eliminated;
(e) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, the portion of the levy by a
metropolitan park district that is protected under RCW 84.52.120 shall
be reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property or shall be eliminated;
(f) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, then the levies imposed under RCW
84.34.230, 84.52.105, and any portion of the levy imposed under RCW
84.52.069 that is in excess of thirty cents per thousand dollars of
assessed value, shall be reduced on a pro rata basis until the combined
rate no longer exceeds one percent of the true and fair value of any
property or shall be eliminated; and
(g) If the combined rate of regular property tax levies that are
subject to the one percent limitation still exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property, then the thirty cents per thousand
dollars of assessed value of tax levy imposed under RCW 84.52.069 shall
be reduced until the combined rate no longer exceeds one percent of the
true and fair value of any property or eliminated.
(2) The certified rates of tax levy subject to these limitations by
all junior taxing districts imposing taxes on such property shall be
reduced or eliminated as follows to bring the consolidated levy of
taxes on such property within the provisions of these limitations:
(a) First, the certified property tax levy rates of those junior
taxing districts authorized under RCW 36.68.525, 36.69.145, 35.95A.100,
((and)) 67.38.130, and section 403 of this act shall be reduced on a
pro rata basis or eliminated;
(b) Second, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these
limitations, the certified property tax levy rates of flood control
zone districts shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated;
(c) Third, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these
limitations, the certified property tax levy rates of all other junior
taxing districts, other than fire protection districts, regional fire
protection service authorities, library districts, the first fifty cent
per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levies for metropolitan park
districts, and the first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed
valuation levies for public hospital districts, shall be reduced on a
pro rata basis or eliminated;
(d) Fourth, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these
limitations, the first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed
valuation levies for metropolitan park districts created on or after
January 1, 2002, shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated;
(e) Fifth, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these
limitations, the certified property tax levy rates authorized to fire
protection districts under RCW 52.16.140 and 52.16.160 and regional
fire protection service authorities under RCW 52.26.140(1) (b) and (c)
shall be reduced on a pro rata basis or eliminated; and
(f) Sixth, if the consolidated tax levy rate still exceeds these
limitations, the certified property tax levy rates authorized for fire
protection districts under RCW 52.16.130, regional fire protection
service authorities under RCW 52.26.140(1)(a), library districts,
metropolitan park districts created before January 1, 2002, under their
first fifty cent per thousand dollars of assessed valuation levy, and
public hospital districts under their first fifty cent per thousand
dollars of assessed valuation levy, shall be reduced on a pro rata
basis or eliminated.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 501
(2) Each authority established under this chapter shall adopt
guidelines establishing a baseline standard of continuous performance
with respect to the provision of public benefits required under this
chapter and for evaluating the continuing eligibility of any regional
or community-based organization to receive funds under this chapter
based on the continuous performance of the organization in the
provision of the public benefits. The guidelines must include: (a)
Procedures for notifying any organization at risk of losing its
continuing eligibility to receive funds under this chapter for failure
to achieve the authority's baseline standard of performance with
respect to the continuous provision of public benefits; and (b)
measures or procedures available to the organization for either
retaining or recovering eligibility, as appropriate.
(3) In evaluating requests for funding authorized under this
chapter for projects of regional benefit under section 601 of this act
or this subsection, the authority board shall consider the public
benefits to be derived from proposed projects. At the conclusion of a
project of regional benefit, the recipient of funding authorized under
this chapter is required to report to the authority on the public
benefits realized. Each regional organization receiving funds
authorized under this chapter pursuant to an authority allocation
formula shall annually, prior to year end, preview for the authority
public benefits the organization's plans to provide or continue to
provide in the following year and report on public benefits it provided
or continued to provide during the current year. In evaluating
requests for funding authorized under this chapter, a county-designated
public agency responsible for the distribution of the funds shall
consider the public benefits applicant community-based organizations
represent will be derived from proposed projects. At the conclusion of
a project approved for funding, the sponsoring community-based
organization is required to report to the county-designated public
agency on the public benefits realized.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 502
(2) As determined by the authority board and to the extent
practicable consistent with available resources, the public school
education and arts access program of an authority described in section
601(2) of this act must include the following attributes:
(a) Provide benefits designed to increase public school student
access to the programming offered and facilities operated by regional
and community-based organizations receiving funding under this chapter;
(b) Offer benefits to every public school in the authority's
service area while scaling the range of benefits available to and the
frequency of opportunities to participate by any particular school to
coincide with the relative percentage of students attending the school
who participate in the national free or reduced-price school meals
program; and
(c) Benefits provided under the public school education and arts
access program must include, without limitation:
(i) Establishment and operation, within funding provided to support
the public school education and arts access program under this
subsection, of a centralized service available to regional and
community-based organizations receiving funding under this chapter and
public schools in the authority's service area to coordinate
opportunities for public school student access to the programs and
activities offered by the organizations both at the facilities and
venues operated by the organizations and through programs and
experiences provided by the organizations at schools and elsewhere;
(ii) Providing directly or otherwise funding and arranging for
transportation for public school students to attend and participate in
the programs and activities offered by such organizations;
(iii) In consultation with regional and community-based
organizations, preparing and maintaining a readily accessible and
current guide cataloging access opportunities and facilitating
scheduling;
(iv) Coordinating closely with regional and community-based
organizations to maximize student utilization of available
opportunities in a cost-efficient manner including possible scheduling
on a single day opportunities for different grade levels at any one
school and participation in multiple programs or activities in the same
general area for which authority-funded transportation is provided;
(v) Supporting the development of tools, materials, and media by
cultural organizations to ensure that school access programs and
activities correlate with school curricula and extend the reach of
access programs and activities for classroom use with or without direct
on-site participation, to the extent practicable;
(vi) Building meaningful partnerships with public schools and
cultural organizations in order to maximize participation in school
access programs and activities and ensure their relevance and
effectiveness;
(vii) Preparing an annual public school access plan for authority
board review and adoption prior to implementation; and
(viii) Compiling an annual report documenting the reach and
evaluating the effectiveness of authority-funded public school access
efforts, including recommendations to the authority board for
improvements.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 601
(a) Until any start-up funding provided to the authority under
section 303 of this act has been fully repaid, the authority must
annually reserve from total funds available funding sufficient to
provide for repayment of such start-up funding;
(b) Not more than five percent of total funds available annually
may be reserved for authority administrative costs, including repaying
its start-up funding provided under section 303 of this act and to
support projects of regional benefit to be undertaken within the
authority's service area, as determined by the authority board. Not
more than two and one-half percent of total funds available annually
may be used for authority administrative costs. The authority board
shall establish eligibility guidelines, criteria for the award of
funding to support projects of regional benefit, including
identification and evaluation of the public benefits to be derived from
the projects, and a competitive allocation process to be undertaken at
least annually. The projects may include, without limitation, regional
cultural public information and promotional activities, support for new
cultural organizations, and support for specific projects or
organizations working to expand access to cultural activities by
underserved populations. Regional organizations receiving funding
under this chapter are not eligible applicants for funding under this
section. However, regional organizations may participate in broad-based, collaborative projects funded under this section and may partner
with a community-based organization in a project for which the
community-based organization is the applicant for funding and plays the
lead role in the project;
(c) The authority board must determine the percentage of total
funds available annually to be reserved for a public school education
and arts access program established and managed by the authority to
increase access to cultural activities and programming for public
school students resident in the authority's service area. The
activities and programming need not be located or provided within the
authority's service area. In developing its program, the authority may
consider the attributes prescribed for a public school education and
arts access program required to be undertaken under section 502(2) of
this act.
(d) The authority board must determine the percentage of total
funds available annually to be reserved for distribution by the
authority board to regional organizations under a formula to be
determined by the authority board. The authority board may adopt
guidelines, consistent with the requirements of this chapter, it deems
necessary or appropriate for determining the eligibility of regional
organizations to receive funding under this chapter. Total funds
reserved for distribution to regional organizations may not exceed
seventy-five percent of total funds available annually excluding funds
initially reserved under (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection;
(e) Remaining funds available annually, including all funds not
initially reserved under (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this subsection as
well as funds not distributed by the authority from the reserved funds
must be distributed by the authority board to an entity in each
participating county designated by the legislative authorities of the
participating counties under a formula to be determined by the
authority board. In determining its formula for the distribution of
remaining funds among the designated entities, the authority board
shall consider factors such as the relative size of the economies of
the participating counties, the number of regional organizations
receiving funds under (d) of this subsection in each participating
county, and the extent to which citizens or groups of citizens within
each county may be underserved by cultural organizations. The
authority shall determine the amount of funding to be allocated to
support designated agency administrative costs. Funds distributed to
the designated entity under this section must be awarded to community-based cultural organizations. Subject to the approval of the
authority, designated entities shall adopt:
(i) Guidelines, consistent with the requirements of this chapter,
it deems necessary or appropriate for determining the eligibility of
community-based organizations to receive funding under this chapter;
(ii) Criteria for the award of funds to eligible community-based
organizations, including the public benefits to be derived from
projects submitted for funding; and
(iii) Procedures for conducting, at least annually, a competitive
process for the award of available funding;
(f) Funds distributed to community-based organizations may be used
to support cultural and educational activities, programs, and
initiatives; public benefits and communications; and basic operations.
Funds may also be used for: (i) Capital expenditures or acquisitions
including, but not limited to, the acquisition of or construction of
improvements to real property; and (ii) technology, equipment, and
supplies reasonably related to or necessary for a project otherwise
eligible for funding under this chapter. Authority guidelines may also
determine the circumstances under which funds may be used to fund
start-up expenses of new community-based organizations;
(g) If the authority board or designated agency determine the
eligibility of a cultural organization to receive funding or the
relative magnitude of the funding it receives on the basis of its
budget, revenues, or expenses, any determination with respect to a
qualifying state-related cultural organization must exclude any state
funding received by the organization or for the institution it
supports.
(2) An authority with a service area population of more than one
million five hundred thousand established as provided in section
301(1)(a) of this act or an authority with an aggregate service area
population of more than two million five hundred thousand established
as provided in section 301(1)(b) of this act must allocate the proceeds
of the taxes authorized under sections 402 and 403 of this act as
follows:
(a) Until any start-up funding provided to the authority under
section 303 of this act has been fully repaid, the authority must
annually reserve from total funds available annually funding sufficient
to provide for repayment of such start-up funding;
(b)(i) After allocating any funds as required in (a) of this
subsection, up to one and one-fourth percent of total funds available
annually may be used for authority administrative costs and up to two
and three-fourths percent of total funds available annually may be used
for other projects of regional benefit to be undertaken within the
authority's service area;
(ii) The authority board shall establish eligibility guidelines,
criteria for the award of funding to support projects of regional
benefit, including identification and evaluation of the public benefits
to be derived from the projects, and a competitive allocation process
to be undertaken at least annually. The projects may include, without
limitation: Regional cultural public information and promotional
activities; support for new cultural organizations; and support for
specific projects or organizations working to expand access to cultural
activities by underserved populations. Regional organizations
receiving funding under this chapter are not eligible applicants for
funding under this section. However, regional organizations may
participate in broad-based, collaborative projects funded under this
section and may partner with a community-based organization in a
project for which the community-based organization is the applicant for
funding and plays the lead role in the project;
(c) After allocating funds as required in (a) and (b) of this
subsection, ten percent of remaining funds available annually must be
used to fund a public school education and arts access program to be
administered by the authority.
(d) Seventy-five percent of total remaining funds available
annually excluding funds initially reserved under (a), (b), and (c) of
this subsection must be reserved for distribution by the authority
board to each regional organization that the authority board
determines, on an annual basis, to have met the following guidelines:
(i) For at least the preceding three years, the organization has
been continuously in good standing as a nonprofit corporation under the
laws of the state of Washington;
(ii) Has its principal location or locations and conducts the
majority of its activities within the authority service area primarily
for the benefit of authority residents;
(iii) Has not declared bankruptcy or suspended or substantially
curtailed operations for a period longer than six months during the
preceding three years;
(iv) Has provided to the authority audited annual financial
statements for at least its two most recent fiscal years;
(v) Over the three preceding years, has minimum average annual
revenues of at least one million two hundred fifty thousand dollars.
The authority board shall annually and cumulatively adjust the minimum
revenues by the annual percentage change in the consumer price index
for the prior year for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington
metropolitan statistical area for all urban consumer, all goods, as
published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor
statistics. The minimum revenues requirement, adjusted for inflation
as provided in this section, remains effective through the date on
which the initial tax authorized by the voters under section 402 or 403
of this act expires. Thereafter, the authority board must, at the
beginning of each subsequent period of funding as approved by the
voters, establish initial minimum average annual revenues of not less
than the amount of the minimum revenues required during the final year
of the immediately preceding period of funding;
(vi) For purposes of determining the eligibility of a cultural
organization to receive funding or the relative magnitude of the
funding it receives on the basis of its revenues, any determination
with respect to a qualifying state-related cultural organization must
exclude any state funding received by the organization or for the
institution it supports; and
(vii) Any additional guidelines, consistent with section 201 of
this act and this section, as it deems necessary or appropriate for
determining the eligibility of prospective regional organizations to
receive funding under this section and for establishing the amount of
funding any organization may receive;
(e) Funds available under (d) of this subsection must be
distributed among eligible regional organizations based on an annual
ranking of eligible organizations by the combined size of their average
annual revenues and their average annual attendance, both over the
three preceding years. However, an organization's attendance must have
twice the weight of the organization's revenues in determining its
relative ranking. Available funds must be distributed proportionally
among eligible organizations, consistent with the ranking, such that
the organization with the largest combined revenues and weighted
attendance would receive the most funding and the organization with the
smallest combined revenues and weighted attendance would receive the
least funding. However, no organization may receive funds in excess of
fifteen percent of its average annual revenues over the three preceding
years. Any funds available under (d) of this subsection not
distributed to regional organizations as a result of application of the
formula provided under this subsection (1)(e) must be allocated by the
authority board for distribution under (g) of this subsection;
(f) Funds distributed to regional organizations under (d) of this
subsection must be used to support cultural and educational activities,
programs and initiatives, public benefits and communications, and basic
operations. No funds distributed to regional organizations under (d)
of this subsection may be used for capital expenditures or acquisitions
including, but not limited to, the acquisition of or the construction
of improvements to real property;
(g) Remaining funds available annually, including funds not
initially reserved under (a) through (d) of this subsection as well as
funds not distributed by the authority from the reserved funds must be
distributed by the authority board to public agencies designated by the
legislative authorities of the participating counties, subject to the
following guidelines:
(i) With respect to an authority created by four contiguous
counties with an aggregate service area population of more than three
million, the agency designated by the legislative authority of the
largest of the participating counties by size of population shall
receive fifty percent of funds available under this subsection (1)(g);
the agencies designated by the legislative authorities of the next two
largest of the participating counties by size of population must each
receive twenty percent of funds available under this subsection (1)(g);
and the agency designated by the legislative authority of the smallest
of the participating counties by size of population must receive the
remaining ten percent of funds available;
(ii) With respect to an authority created by fewer than four
contiguous counties with an aggregate service area population of more
than two million five hundred thousand, funds must be distributed by
the authority board to public agencies designated by the legislative
authorities of the participating counties under a formula to be
determined by the authority board. In determining its formula for the
distribution of remaining funds among the designated public agencies,
the authority board shall consider factors such as the relative size of
the populations and the economies of the participating counties; the
number of regional organizations receiving funds under (d) of this
subsection in each participating county; and the extent to which
citizens or groups of citizens within each county may be underserved by
cultural organizations such that:
(A) The distribution formula for an authority comprised of three
contiguous counties including one county with a population in excess of
one million five hundred thousand, another county with a population in
excess of six hundred thousand, and one with a population of less than
three hundred thousand must provide that the agency designated by the
legislative authority of the largest county by population receives not
less than sixty percent of funds available; the next largest county by
population receives not less than twenty-five percent of funds
available; and the smallest county by population receives not less than
twelve percent of funds available;
(B) The distribution formula for an authority comprised of three
continuous counties including one county with a population in excess of
one million five hundred thousand and two other counties each with a
population in excess of six hundred thousand must provide that the
agency designated by the legislative authority of the largest county by
population receives not less than fifty-five percent of funds available
and each of the other two counties receive not less than twenty percent
of funds available; and
(C) The distribution formula for an authority comprised of two
contiguous counties including one county with a population in excess of
one million five hundred thousand and one county with a population in
excess of six hundred thousand shall provide that the agency designated
by the legislative authority of the larger county by population
receives not less than seventy-five percent of the funds available; and
(iii) The distribution formula for an authority comprised of two
contiguous counties including one county with a population in excess of
one million five hundred thousand and one county with a population of
less than three hundred thousand shall provide that the agency
designated by the legislative authority of the larger county by
population receives not less than eighty-five percent of funds
available;
(h) Funds distributed by the designated public agencies under (g)
of this subsection must be applied as follows:
(i) Not more than eight percent of such funds must be used for
administrative costs of the public agency designated by a participating
county; and
(ii) The balance must be used to fund community-based
organizations. Designated public agencies shall adopt:
(A) Guidelines, consistent with the requirements of this chapter,
it deems necessary or appropriate for determining the eligibility of
community-based organizations to receive funding under this chapter and
for establishing the amount of funding any organization may receive;
(B) Criteria for the award of funds to eligible community-based
organizations, including the public benefits to be derived from
projects submitted for funding; and
(C) Procedures for conducting, at least annually, a competitive
process for the award of available funding;
(i) Funds distributed to community-based organizations may be used
to support cultural and educational activities, programs, and
initiatives; public benefits and communications; and basic operations.
Funds may also be used for: (i) Capital expenditures or acquisitions
including, but not limited to, the acquisition of or construction of
improvements to real property; and (ii) technology, equipment, and
supplies reasonably related to or necessary for a project otherwise
eligible for funding under this chapter. Authority guidelines may also
determine the circumstances under which funds may be used to fund
start-up expenses of new community-based organizations.
Sec. 701 RCW 36.96.010 and 1999 c 153 s 50 are each amended to
read as follows:
((As used in)) The definitions in this section apply throughout
this chapter((,)) unless the context requires otherwise((:)).
(1) "Special purpose district" means every municipal and quasi-municipal corporation other than counties, cities, and towns. Such
special purpose districts shall include, but are not limited to, water-sewer districts, fire protection districts, port districts, public
utility districts, county park and recreation service areas, flood
control zone districts, diking districts, drainage improvement
districts, education and arts cultural access authorities, and solid
waste collection districts, but shall not include industrial
development districts created by port districts, and shall not include
local improvement districts, utility local improvement districts, and
road improvement districts;
(2) "Governing authority" means the commission, council, or other
body which directs the affairs of a special purpose district;
(3) "Inactive" means that a special purpose district, other than a
public utility district, is characterized by either of the following
criteria:
(a) Has not carried out any of the special purposes or functions
for which it was formed within the preceding consecutive five-year
period; or
(b) No election has been held for the purpose of electing a member
of the governing body within the preceding consecutive seven-year
period or, in those instances where members of the governing body are
appointed and not elected, where no member of the governing body has
been appointed within the preceding seven-year period.
A public utility district is inactive when it is characterized by
both criteria (a) and (b) of this subsection.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 702
NEW SECTION. Sec. 703 No direct or collateral attack on any
authority purported to be authorized or created in conformance with
this chapter may be commenced more than thirty days after creation.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 704 Sections 101 through 312, 401, 501, 502,
601, 702, and 703 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title
NEW SECTION. Sec. 705 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 706 The provisions of this act shall be
liberally construed to effect the policies and purposes of this act.