AN ACT Relating to increased transparency and accountability for intercollegiate athletic programs at public colleges and universities; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The board of trustees or regents of each of the state's colleges and universities under RCW 28B.15.005 must specifically approve in an open public meeting any expenditure for or transfer made to its programs for intercollegiate athletic competition if the programs had an operating deficit in the previous fiscal year, and the expenditure or transfer is a:

(a) New expenditure exceeding one hundred thousand dollars;

(b) Continuing expenditure that has increased by one hundred thousand dollars; or

(c) Transfer exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.

(2) If a college or university's programs experienced an operating deficit in the previous fiscal year, the board of trustees or regents must:

(a) Approve a plan for how the programs will prevent operating deficits in future fiscal years;

(b) Conspicuously post to the college or university's web site the financial statements of the programs for the three prior fiscal years and the plan in (a) of this subsection. Any public records request for a copy of the financial statements or plan must be at no cost to the requester.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Expenditure" means any discrete purchase, payment, contract amendment, or expense from a source other than revenue directly generated by the programs.

(b) "Operating costs" means all direct and indirect costs to operate the programs including the value of any costs that are typically charged to departments, but have been waived by the college or university. Waived costs include, but are not limited to the value of tuition waivers for student athletes and any internal or central service costs not charged to the programs.

(c) "Operating deficit" means the amount by which the aggregate operating costs of the programs exceeds the aggregated receipts and revenue directly generated by programs in the fiscal year.

(d) "Programs for intercollegiate athletic competition" or "programs" means those programs established under RCW 28B.10.703.

(e) "Transfers" means any transfer of moneys to an account used by programs for intercollegiate athletic competition from any account that holds moneys not directly generated by the programs.

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