H-1045              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1514

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Jacobsen, Miller, Anderson, R. Fisher, Heavey, S. Wilson and Crane

Read first time 1/27/89 and referred to Committee on Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to the establishment of the office of poet laureate; and adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     It is the intent of the legislature to herald the state's poets and poetry, and to recognize and promote the wine industry of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The governor shall appoint a Washington poet to serve as the poet laureate of the state of Washington.  The duties of the poet laureate shall be to write poetry and lofty expressions to be read at appropriate state occasions.  The term of the poet laureate shall be four years.

          Before making an appointment under this section, the governor shall confer with a committee consisting of one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one member appointed by the president of the senate, and one member appointed by the governor.  The committee shall recommend to the governor one or more candidates for poet laureate after seeking and considering nominations from poets and writers, poetry critics, professors of English, magazine and literary review editors, state and local arts commission members, and any other persons the committee determines to have exhibited an exceptional knowledge of poetry.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The salary of the poet laureate shall consist of one butt of Washington wine per year donated by representatives of the Washington wine industry.  For the purposes of RCW 66.28.040, the poet laureate shall be deemed an official sampler for the state liquor control board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 2 and 3 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.