5868-S.E AMH FORN GAVI 1 [1]

ESSB 5868 - H AMD 000573 LOST 4-21-93

By Representative Forner and others

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the long-term health of the state and its citizens depends upon the strength and vitality of its communities. It is essential to the state's future that communities have the ability to: Manage growth and achieve sustainable development; provide equitable access to economic opportunity; stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship; construct public infrastructure; and promote the health and safety of their citizens.

The legislature further finds that as a result of the rapid pace of social and economic change, maintaining the quality of life and standard of living for the citizens of the state will require new and inventive responses by every segment of the community, including local governments, educational institutions, business firms and their employees, labor unions, nonprofit institutions, and individuals. The state can play a role in assisting such local efforts by reorganizing state assistance efforts to promote partnerships among these diverse segments.

The legislature further finds that it is in the interest of the state to restructure the Department of Community Development and the Department of Trade and Economic Development to better coordinate and assist economic self-sufficiency programs in the state's communities. The consolidation of trade, tourism,and economic development programs into the department of trade and economic development will: Improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which state services are delivered; give local communities the capacity to respond to economic change; and increase accountability to the public, the executive, and the legislature.

It is the intent of the legislature in this reorganization to maximize the use of local expertise and resources in the delivery of community and economic development services. It is the further intent of the legislature that the plan provided for in section 4 of this act include recommendations as to how those responsibilities and functions will be changed and integrated into a cohesive and coordinated community and economic development program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The purpose of this act is to reorganize the department of community development and the department of trade and economic development, putting all economic development and infrastructure financing programs into the department of trade and economic development.

(2) It is also the purpose of this act to change the name of the department of trade and economic development to the department of trade, tourism and economic development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. All references to the director or department of trade and economic development in the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed to mean the director or department of trade, tourism and economic development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The director of the department of trade and economic development and the director of the department of community development shall, by November 15, 1993, jointly submit a plan to the governor and the legislature for the consolidation and smooth transition to the department of trade and economic development all economic development and infrastructure financing programs in the department of community development by July 1, 1994.

(2) The plan shall include, but is not limited to, the following elements:

(a) Strategies for combining the existing economic development and infrastructure financing functions and responsibilities into the department of trade, tourism and economic development;

(b) Recommendations for any changes in existing programs and functions of both agencies, including new initiatives and possible transfer of programs and functions from other departments;

(c) Implementation steps necessary to bring about operation of the reorganization, including suggested changes to the Revised Code of washington;

(d) Benchmarks by which to measure progress and to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the department's efforts; and

(e) Strategies for coordinating and maximizing federal, state, and local community and economic development efforts and resources within the state.

(3) In developing this plan, the directors shall establish an advisory committee of representatives of groups using services and programs of both departments. The advisory committee shall include representatives of cities, counties, port districts, businesses, labor unions, associate development organizations, low-income housing interests, Indian tribes, community action programs, public safety groups, community-based nonprofit development organizations, and any other organizations the directors determine should have input to the plan.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The department of trade, tourism and economic development shall be responsible for promoting community and economic development within the state by assisting the state's communities to increase their economic vitality and by assisting the state's businesses to maintain and increase their economic competitiveness. Community and economic development efforts shall include: Efforts to increase economic opportunity; providing public infrastructure; business and trade development; assisting firms and industrial sectors to increase their competitiveness; and technology development, transfer, and diffusion. The department shall have the following functions and responsibilities:

(1) Provide advisory assistance to the governor, other state agencies, and the legislature on community and economic development matters and issues;

(2) Cooperate with the legislature and the governor in the development and implementation of strategic plans for the state's community and economic development efforts;

(3) Solicit private and federal grants for economic development programs and administer such programs in conjunction with other programs assigned to the department by the governor or the legislature;

(4) Undertake business development and retention efforts in coordination with other state agencies, local governments, tribal governments, and public and private local development groups seeking new business investment and the expansion and retention of existing businesses, including providing assistance to local organizations to resolve environmental and natural resource issues related to economic development;

(5) Identify and work with Washington businesses that can use local, state, and federal assistance to increase domestic and foreign exports and that are capable of increasing production of goods and services;

(6) Market the state's products and services internationally in close cooperation with other private and public international trade efforts and act as a centralized location for the assimilation and distribution of trade information;

(7) Market and coordinate the attraction of visitors and conventions to the state and the expansion of the tourism industry throughout the state in cooperation with the visitor industry, as well as public and private tourism development organizations;

(8) Promote, market, and encourage growth in the production of films and videos, as well as television commercials, within the state; and

(9) Conduct research and analysis in furtherance of the state's economic and community development efforts including maintenance of current information on market and economic trends as they affect different industrial sectors, geographic regions, and communities with special economic problems in the state.

Sec. 6. RCW 43.17.010 and 1989 1st ex.s. c 9 s 810 are each amended to read as follows:

There shall be departments of the state government which shall be known as (1) the department of social and health services, (2) the department of ecology, (3) the department of labor and industries, (4) the department of agriculture, (5) the department of fisheries, (6) the department of wildlife, (7) the department of transportation, (8) the department of licensing, (9) the department of general administration, (10) the department of trade, tourism and economic development, (11) the department of veterans affairs, (12) the department of revenue, (13) the department of retirement systems, (14) the department of corrections, and (15) the department of community development, and (16) the department of health, which shall be charged with the execution, enforcement, and administration of such laws, and invested with such powers and required to perform such duties, as the legislature may provide.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by the plan under section 4 of this act, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the department of community development shall not affect the validity of any act performed prior to the effective date of this section.

Sec. 9. RCW 43.31.091 and 1990 c 297 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

The business assistance center and its powers and duties shall be terminated on June 30, ((~~1993~~)) 1995, as provided in RCW 43.31.092.

Sec. 10. RCW 43.31.092 and 1990 c 297 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

The following acts or parts of acts, as now existing or hereafter amended, are each repealed, effective June 30, ((~~1994~~)) 1996:

(1) Section 2, chapter 348, Laws of 1987 and RCW 43.31.083;

(2) Section 11, chapter 466, Laws of 1985, section 3, chapter 348, Laws of 1987, section 2, chapter 430, Laws of 1989 and RCW 43.31.085;

(3) Section 4, chapter 348, Laws of 1987 and RCW 43.31.087; and

(4) Section 5, chapter 348, Laws of 1987 and RCW 43.31.089.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 4, 9 and 10 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Sections 1 through 3 and 5 through 8 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected."