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                                 ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1165

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By House Committee on Trade & Economic Development (originally sponsored by Representatives O'Brien, Ferguson, Winsley, Haugen and Nelson)

Read first time 3/1/89 and referred to Committee on Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to efficiency in the operation of public ports; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     (1) There is created a temporary task force for purposes of examining cooperative measures available to ports and local associate development organizations to improve coordination and increase efficiency, and examining methods to build local capacity by implementing recommendations contained in the 1989 report of the economic development board.

          (2) The task force shall study and make recommendations in the following areas:

          (a) The feasibility of joint marketing efforts to advance the goals and mission of ports and local associate development organizations;

          (b) Measures available to enhance the economic development and trade development mission of ports and local associate development organizations, including the establishment of joint trade offices and joint efforts to assist businesses to export;

          (c) Opportunities to expand the state's air cargo capacity by identifying air cargo trends worldwide, identifying existing, planned, and potential air cargo capabilities and facilities in the state, analyzing the economic feasibility of planned and potential air cargo facilities with respect to transport shipping costs, and developing alternative policies for state and local government action to help ensure Washington remains competitive with respect to air cargo facilities;

          (d) Opportunities to enhance the financial base of ports and local associate development organizations independent of additional taxation measures;

          (e) Opportunities for ports and local associate development organizations to enter into contracts to assist local economic development efforts and build local capacity; and

          (f) Such other areas as the task force determines are relevant to the mission of the task force.

          (3) The task force shall consist of the following twenty members:

          (a) A member of the governing board of each county-wide port district in a class A or AA county selected by the respective port commissions;

          (b) The executive director of each county-wide port district in a class A or AA county;

          (c) A member of a governing board of a port district which is located east of the Cascade mountains, appointed by the governor;

          (d) A member of a governing board of a port district which has an industrial area and a marine terminal, appointed by the governor;

          (e) An executive director of a port district which is located east of the Cascade mountains, appointed by the governor;

          (f) An executive director of a port district which has an industrial area and a marine terminal, appointed by the governor;

          (g) Four members from the general public representing business, labor, and community organizations, appointed by the governor;

          (h) Two executive directors of local associate development organizations, one of which is located east of the Cascade mountains, appointed by the governor;

          (i) The directors, or the directors' designees, of the department of community development and the department of trade and economic development to serve as nonvoting members; and

          (j) A representative from each of the four legislative caucuses.  The president of the senate shall appoint the two senate members and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the two house members.  The legislators shall serve as nonvoting members.

          (4) The governor shall designate the chair of the task force.

          (5) The department of trade and economic development and the department of community development shall provide staff assistance as required.

          (6) Task force members may be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

          (7) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1990.

          (8) The task force shall expire on March 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Nothing in section 1 of this act shall be construed to limit or impinge upon the autonomy of port districts.