AN ACT Relating to economic development; adding new sections to chapter 43.31 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.06 RCW; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. There is hereby created an advisory commission to the department of commerce and economic development to be known as the centennial partnership commission. The commission shall be composed of nine members. The commission members shall include: (1) The director of the department of commerce and economic development or the director's designee; (2) two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate from different political parties; (3) two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives from different political parties; and (4) four public members appointed by the governor. The governor shall designate the chairman of the commission.

The public members shall serve terms of three years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. For purposes of sections 3 through 8 of this act:

(1) "Department" means the department of commerce and economic development or its statutory successor.

(2) "Commission" means the centennial partnership commission.

(3) "Centennial partnership project" means projects determined by the commission to meet the criteria established by sections 3 and 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The centennial partnership commission has the following powers and duties:

(1) To assist the department in conducting studies on the feasibility, design, and benefits to the state of establishing one or more destination tourism attractions or state marketing facilities;

(2) To assist the department and sponsoring municipal or nonprofit corporations in assessing the feasibility of projects and in administering the planning, design, construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of real property, facilities, artifacts, and equipment for feasible projects that have demonstrated:

(a) Sponsorship by a municipal corporation or nonprofit corporation that has qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code;

(b) That at least fifty percent of the cost of the project has or can be raised from private or local government sources;

(d) That the project will be self-supporting once constructed;

(3) To assist the department in the development of a demonstration project that shall be monitored to assess its contribution to the economy of the state;

(4) To assist the department in evaluating the potential funding sources for qualifying projects;

(5) To advise the department in the adoption of rules in accordance with chapter 34.04 RCW governing the administration of the state funding of the centennial partnership projects. The rules shall specify that funding of centennial partnership projects may be administered by the local government participating in the project or by the department, with the advice of the commission, in cooperation with the affected municipal or nonprofit corporation; and

(6) To enter into contracts with the department as appropriate to carry out the powers and duties granted in sections 1 through 8 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Projects that meet the criteria established by section 2(2) of this act shall be known as qualifying centennial partnership projects. The department, on the advice of the commission, may select for special consideration those qualifying centennial partnership projects that accomplish one or more of the following objectives:

(1) Develop tourism in depressed areas;

(2) Increase employment;

(3) Attract new industry;

(4) Attract new out-of-state tourists;

(5) Encourage the redevelopment of economically depressed areas;

(6) Assist in educating citizens and visitors about the economic potential of the state;

(7) Highlight the heritage of the state in honor of the 1989 centennial;

(8) Honor and promote the future of the state, including Washington's role as the nation's gateway to the Pacific; or

(9) Assist in marketing the products of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The commission may employ such staff and administrative support as the commission deems appropriate for the administration of sections 3 through 8 of this act.

(2) The department shall make available to the commission additional staff and administrative support as it considers appropriate for the commission to carry out the requirements of sections 3 through 8 of this act. In order to implement sections 3 through 8 of this act, the governor may designate other employees of any agency to assist the commission.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The department and the commission shall carry out sections 3 through 8 of this act in cooperation with the sponsoring municipal or nonprofit corporations identified in section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. On January 1 of each year, the commission shall report on its activities, the results of the demonstration project, and the results of its studies, including any recommendations and proposed legislation, to the director of the department, the secretary of the senate, and the chief clerk of the house of representatives. The commission may include within its recommendations proposed contracts relating to the acquisition of land or the construction of facilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The tourism development partnership capital fund is created in the custody of the department of commerce and economic development.

(1) Moneys in the fund may be spent only for the purposes of sections 1 through 7 of this act. Disbursements from the fund shall be on authorization of the director of the department on the advice of the commission and with the approval of the legislative budget committee.

(2) Moneys may be deposited into the fund by legislative appropriation. The department may accept and expend moneys for the tourism development partnership capital fund from both public and private sources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This chapter and section 11 of this act shall expire on December 31, 1990. Moneys remaining in the tourism development partnership capital fund on that date shall be deposited in the state general fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Sections 1 through 9 of this act are each added to chapter 43.31 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 41.06 RCW to read as follows:

This chapter does not apply to the employees of the centennial partnership commission under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. 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. 13. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.