BILL REQ. #:  S-4094.2 

Read first time 01/30/14.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a joint legislative task force to study financing options for water supply, flood control, and storm water projects; amending RCW 43.155.050; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that probable changes in climate and cycles of drought and storms, population growth and required development, coupled with aging and inadequate water supply and flood control infrastructure present significant risks to the health and safety of our residents and visitors, the sustained growth of our economy, and preservation and protection of our natural resources.
     (2) A joint legislative task force on financing options for water supply, flood control, and storm water projects is established. The task force and its various work groups must review:
     (a) The risks from inadequate water supply, flood control, and storm water systems in various communities and water basins of the state;
     (b) The advances in water supply, flood control, and storm water technology, engineering, and ecosystem management that offer reliable, affordable, and long-lasting benefits to the health and safety of residents, the sustainability of regional and state economic growth, and the protection and preservation of the state's natural resources;
     (c) Financing options for water supply, flood control, and storm water projects that offer reliable, affordable, and long-lasting benefits to the health and safety of residents, the sustainability of regional and state economic growth, and the protection and preservation of the state's natural resources. Financing options must identify options for incurring debt at the lowest cost, and possible state and local revenues necessary to service that debt without diverting state general funds;
     (d) Governance options for setting priorities for financing water supply, flood control, and storm water projects and establishing state and local policies to ensure that the benefits from such projects:
     (i) Are not eroded by a failure to adequately maintain such projects; or
     (ii) Diminish by local decisions that exacerbate risks the project is intended to mitigate.
     (3)(a) The joint legislative task force on financing options for water supply, flood control, and storm water projects shall consist of eight members, two legislative members each, one from each major caucus, from the house of representatives capital budget committee and appropriate policy committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and two members each, one from each major caucus, from the senate ways and means committee and appropriate policy committee, appointed by the president of the senate.
     (b) The governor or the governor's representative may serve on the task force. The governor must select four task force members representing local governments, with two members representing communities at risk from scarce water supplies and two representing communities at risk from flooding and storm water control problems.
     (c) The office of the state treasurer, the office of financial management, the departments of ecology, health, agriculture, fish and wildlife, and commerce shall cooperate with the task force and provide leadership and staff support to the various work groups established under subsection (4) of this section.
     (d) The task force shall coordinate with the appropriate standing committees of the legislature and may consult with other interested parties, as may be appropriate, for technical advice and assistance.
     (e) The task force shall select a chair from among its legislative membership.
     (4) The task force must establish expert work groups to investigate, at a minimum, each of the topics in subsection (2)(a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section. Work group members may be selected for their relevant expertise from state and local government agencies, state universities, and knowledgeable private sector professionals. Staff support for the task force must be provided by the house of representatives office of program research and the senate committee services. Staff support for the various work groups must be provided by the involved state agencies.
     (5) Legislative members of the task force must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members of the task force or work groups, except those representing state or local government agencies, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (6) The expenses of the task force must be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees. The budget and expenses of the various work groups established under subsection (4) of this section must be managed by the office of financial management in consultation with the task force.
     (7) The task force must report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2015.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2015, from the general fund to the office of financial management for the purposes of this act.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.155.050 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 983 are each amended to read as follows:
     The public works assistance account is hereby established in the state treasury. Money may be placed in the public works assistance account from the proceeds of bonds when authorized by the legislature or from any other lawful source. Money in the public works assistance account shall be used to make loans and to give financial guarantees to local governments for public works projects. Moneys in the account may also be appropriated to provide for state match requirements under federal law for projects and activities conducted and financed by the board under the drinking water assistance account. Not more than fifteen percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation to the public works board from this account may be expended or obligated for preconstruction loans, emergency loans, or loans for capital facility planning under this chapter; of this amount, not more than ten percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation may be expended for emergency loans and not more than one percent of the biennial capital budget appropriation may be expended for capital facility planning loans. During the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature may transfer from the public works assistance account to the general fund, the water pollution control revolving account, and the drinking water assistance account such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance of the account. During the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the legislature may appropriate moneys from the account for economic development, innovation, and export grants, including brownfields; main street improvement grants; and the loan program consolidation board. During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature may transfer from the public works assistance account to the education legacy trust account such amounts as specified by the legislature. During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature may appropriate moneys from the account to fund necessary expenses of the task force established in section 1 of this act and the appropriation specified in section 2, chapter . . ., Laws of 2014 (this act).