Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

State Government, Elections & Information Technology Committee

HB 2941

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires agencies within the legislative and executive branches to submit copies of licensing contracts entered into that allow for public use of state-created materials or information to their respective ethics boards for informational purposes.

Background:

The Legislative Ethics Board and the Executive Ethics Board investigate and enforce the ethics requirements of the state agencies and employees under the legislative and executive branches of the state government, respectively.

There are instances when an agency, through its employees, may contract with a third party to license the use of materials or information originally created by a state agency for public use.

Summary of Bill:

A state agency within the legislative and executive branches that enters into a contract to grant a license to any person, including persons and entities outside of state government, to allow any indirect use of state resources is required to submit a copy of the licensing contract to the appropriate ethics board.

Indirect use of state resources is defined as materials or information properly created by a state agency at public expense that have been contractually released by an agency for public use of those materials or information.

The Legislative Ethics Board and the Executive Ethics Board are both required to receive the licensing contracts submitted by state agencies for informational purposes, but will not take any enforcement action available to those boards based on subsequent indirect use of state resources.