S-2863               _______________________________________________

                                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8412

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Hayner, Sellar, Vognild and Warnke

Read first time 3/31/89.  Under suspension of the rules, read second and third times and passed.

WHEREAS, The legislature finds and declares that the year of 1992, being the Quincentennial of the first voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Americas, is a time for all citizens of the State of Washington to reflect upon and celebrate the significance of the events which have occurred in the Americas since the Genovese navigator first embraced the lands and befriended the peoples of the Western Hemisphere; and

          WHEREAS, The voyages of Christopher Columbus and his crew produced an historic encounter between the people and civilizations of two hemispheres, enabling new nations to flourish from the European countries blending with the native people of all the Americas, and later arrivals from Africa, Asia, and Oceania, all inlaid in the societal and cultural mosaic of the greater Western Hemisphere; and

          WHEREAS, The Spanish/Mexican outpost at Neah Bay, founded in 1792 to establish a southern limit to Russian and English encroachment on presumed Spanish prerogatives in the north Pacific, was the first European settlement in the state of Washington; and

          WHEREAS, The legislature finds that adequate preparations must be effected to assure that the events leading up to the Quincentennial, as well as the events and celebrations of the year 1992, are as rich and significant as befit this historic moment, it is imperative that the Legislature assume a leading role in developing the means and resources necessary to plan and implement those events in partnership with the business, cultural, and educational communities of the State of Washington;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, that a select committee on the 1992 Washington Quincentennial of the first voyage of Christopher Columbus, also to be known as the 1992 Washington Spanish Quincentennial Committee, is hereby created and is authorized and directed to:

          (1) Encourage the participation of the citizens of the state of Washington in activities fostering cultural enrichment, social purpose, and economic opportunity within the context of the Quincentennial celebration of the voyages of Christopher Columbus;

          (2) Seek the assistance of the citizens of Washington in achieving these goals by appointing any advisory or other committees which may become necessary to carry out the work of the committee;

          (3) Plan and implement events, exchanges, expositions, exhibitions, productions, or other public events or occurrences which further the purposes or goals of the committee and of this resolution; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall be comprised of four members of the Senate, two from either caucus, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and four members of the House of Representatives, two from each caucus, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, with the permanent chair of the 1992 Washington Spanish Quincentennial Committee to be selected by a vote of the membership of the committee; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall seek the leadership of the Honorable Booth Gardner, Governor of the State of Washington, to serve as its Honorary Chair, and the Honorable Joel Pritchard, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Washington, and the Honorable Ralph Munro, Secretary of State, to serve as its Honorary Vice-Chairs; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 1992 Washington Spanish Quincentennial Committee shall continue in existence until December 31, 1992, at which time the committee shall cease to exist; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the staff for the 1992 Washington Spanish Quincentennial Committee shall be provided by the Senate Economic Development and Labor and House Trade and Economic Development Committees.