(1) Creation of the local involvement committee. A public private local involvement committee shall be established for each proposed project. The committee will be known as the local involvement committee or "LIC." Within sixty days after defining the initial affected project area, all appointments to the LIC shall be made and submitted to the department.

(2) LIC membership. The LIC membership shall consist of:

(a) One elected official of each county and one elected official from each city lying wholly or in part within the affected project area. Such members shall be appointed by a majority of the members of the county or city legislative authority.

(b) Two persons from each county lying wholly or in part within the affected project area each of whom represents an organization formed in support of the proposed project, if any such organizations exist; and two persons from each county lying wholly or in part within the affected project area each of whom represents an organization formed to oppose the proposed project, if any such organizations exist. Such members shall be appointed by the county legislative authority. Prior to such appointment, the county legislative authority shall identify and validate organizations officially formed in support of or in opposition to the proposed project. The method of validation shall be devised by the county. Appointments shall be made from list(s) submitted by the chairs of the validated organizations. The county legislative authority shall submit a list of the appointed members in writing to the department.

(c) Four public members active in a statewide transportation organization who shall be appointed by the governor.

(d) Vacancies in the membership of the LIC shall be filled by the appointing authority under (a) through (c) of this subsection.

(e) If the committee makeup results in an even number of committee members, there shall be an additional appointment of an elected official from the county in which all, or the greatest portion of the proposed project is located.

(3) Compensation and expenses. Members of the LIC shall serve without compensation and may not receive reimbursement for subsistence, lodging expenses, or travel expenses from the department.

(4) LIC duties. Each LIC will serve in an advisory capacity to the department on all matters related to the administration of the public advisory elections including:

(a) Reviewing the methodology, criteria and recommendations developed in the traffic and economic studies and used by the department to establish the initial affected project area boundary.

(b) Reviewing the initial affected project area boundary and recommending adjustments, if any are deemed desirable, to the geographic boundaries and the LIC membership.

(c) Reviewing the project description that is based upon the preferred alternative selected by the department and recommending changes, if any are deemed desirable, in order for the department to prepare the final project description.

(d) Recommending to the department the date for the public advisory elections that are within those dates established by RCW 29.13.020.

(e) Providing advice on any other matters identified by the department related to the administration of the public advisory election in the affected project areas.

(5) LIC meeting and procedures.

(a) LIC meetings shall be open to the public and shall be subject to the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act, RCW 42.30.030. The public shall have advance notice of LIC meetings as described in LIC procedures established in (b) of this subsection. Meetings shall be held in locations within the affected project areas and be accessible for persons with disabilities.

(b) Within thirty days of the first LIC meeting, each LIC shall develop meeting procedures to include but not be limited to the frequency and location of meetings, alternate members, methods of public notification and public participation at the meetings. Each LIC shall also develop its own method of providing recommendations to the department, provided that all decisions of the LIC shall be made by a simple majority of the LIC members. A simple majority shall be defined as fifty percent of the members plus one member of the LIC committee.

(c) All LIC meeting summaries, reports, correspondence and other materials are subject to public disclosure pursuant to chapter 42.17 RCW.

(6) Administrative support to LIC's. The department shall provide administrative support to the LIC's. Such support shall include notifying members of meetings, providing public notification of meetings, facilitating meetings, arranging for meetings and materials, and other necessary administrative support.