BILL REQ. #:  H-0228.1 

Read first time 01/18/13.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to governors' inaugural balls; and adding a new section to chapter 43.34 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.34 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The governor's official inaugural ball committee is created for the purpose of planning and organizing governors' official inaugural balls.
     (2) The committee shall be composed of:
     (a) Two individuals appointed by the Democratic nominee for governor;
     (b) Two individuals appointed by the Republican nominee for governor;
     (c) Four legislators appointed as follows:
     (i) One appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
     (ii) One appointed by the majority leader of the senate;
     (iii) One appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and
     (iv) One appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
     (d) One representative of the state supreme court;
     (e) One representative of statewide elected officials; and
     (f) The director of enterprise services.
     (3) The committee shall select a chair from among its members.
     (4)(a) Governors' official inaugural balls shall be held on the capitol campus in January of years following gubernatorial elections.
     (b) The department of enterprise services must grant fee waivers and negotiate rental rates with the committee.
     (c) The Washington state patrol shall be in charge of security for the event.
     (d) The event is a private event, with admission only by ticket.
     (5) The committee may:
     (a) Hire a staff person to oversee and assist with the event;
     (b) Raise money, including seeking financial donations; and
     (c) Seek volunteers to assist in all aspects of the event.
     (6) The governor's official inaugural ball account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from fund-raising and donations under this section must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the governor's official inaugural ball. Only the chair of the governor's official inaugural ball committee or the chair's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.