(1) The Washington state leadership board is designated a trustee for the state of Washington.
(2) The purpose of the Washington state leadership board is to:
(a) Provide the state a means of extending formal recognition for an individual's outstanding services to the state; and
(b) Expand educational, sports, leadership, and/or employment opportunities for youth, veterans, and people with disabilities in Washington state by administering the following programs:
(i) Washington world fellows;
(ii) Sports mentoring;
(iii) Boundless Washington; and
(iv) Compassion scholars.
(3) The Washington state leadership board may conduct activities in support of their mission.
(4)(a) The Washington state leadership board is governed by a board of directors. The board of directors is composed of the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the secretary of state, who serve as ex officio, nonvoting members, and other officers and members as the Washington state leadership board designates. In addition, four legislators may be appointed to the board of directors as ex officio members in the following manner: One legislator from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, and one legislator from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(b) The Washington state leadership board shall appoint its executive director with the consent of the lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor may remove an executive director for cause if a majority of the Washington state leadership board votes for removal.
(5) The board of directors shall adopt bylaws and establish governance and transparency policies.
(6) The lieutenant governor's office may provide facilities and administrative support for the Washington state leadership board, where the work of the board aligns with the mission of the office. Assistance from the lieutenant governor's office may include, but is not limited to:
(a) Collaboration with the Washington state leadership board on the Washington world fellows program, a college readiness and study abroad fellowship;
(b) Collaboration with the Washington state leadership board to administer the sports mentoring program as established under RCW
43.388.040, a mentoring program to encourage underserved youth to join sports or otherwise participate in the area of sports. If approved by the board of directors, boundless Washington, an outdoor leadership program for young people with disabilities, shall satisfy the terms of the sports mentoring program; and
(c) The compilation of a yearly financial report, which shall be made available to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than January 15th of each year, detailing all revenues and expenditures associated with the Washington world fellows program and the sports mentoring program.
(7) The legislature may make appropriations in support of the Washington state leadership board subject to the availability of funds.
(8) The Washington state leadership board must post on its website detailed information on all funds received by the board and all expenditures by the board.
Findings—2022 c 96: "The legislature finds that:
(1) The Washington state leadership board has been a nonprofit organization with significant, vested interest in the improvement of Washington state through their service and dedication to marginalized students and their ability to bestow honors on behalf of the state.
(2) There has been a lack of substantive extracurricular activities for historically marginalized students in Washington state to be involved in, and the Washington state leadership board has created equitable and accessible programs for marginalized students to succeed. The Washington state leadership board bridges the gap between student accessibility and student achievement by utilizing public and private funds to create three unique programs for marginalized students: The Washington world fellows program, boundless Washington program, and compassion scholars program.
(3) The Washington world fellows program is a global leadership development program that provides students who may lack access with training that enhances high school academics, supports their trajectory into college, and establishes strong leadership traits. The program includes college preparation through research, mentoring, and preparation for college entrance exams, including the opportunity for students to participate in a global leadership exchange experience.
(4) The boundless Washington program provides an opportunity for students with physical and sensory disabilities to develop leadership skills through the outdoors. Students with physical and sensory disabilities explore the outdoors through immersive excursions that students learn about through online curriculum and practice through outdoor activities with peers.
(5) The compassion scholars program creates life-changing compassion scholars' excursions, with a delegation that includes students, elected officials, and community leaders, that focus on highlighting for high school students the positive work of public servants that have dedicated themselves to improving their community.
(6) The Washington state leadership board has bestowed honors like the Washingtonian of the year and the organization of the year on behalf of the state for over 45 years." [
2022 c 96 s 1.]