S-1264.1                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5660

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators M. Rasmussen, Barr, Deccio, Loveland, Snyder, Fraser, Skratek, Sheldon, Drew, Prince, Winsley, Erwin, Bluechel, Amondson and Franklin

Read first time 02/08/93.  Referred to Committee on Trade, Technology & Economic Development.

Developing the Washington state citizens' exchange program.

          AN ACT Relating to the citizens' exchange program; adding a new section to chapter 43.07 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.07 RCW to read as follows:

          The secretary of state, in consultation with the department of trade, the department of agriculture, economic development consultants, the consular corps, and other international trade organizations, shall develop a Washington state citizens' exchange program that will initiate and promote:

          (1) Citizen exchanges between Washington state agricultural, technical, and educational groups and organizations with their counterparts in targeted foreign countries.

          (2) Expanded educational and training exchanges between Washington state individuals and organizations with similar groups in targeted foreign countries.

          (3) Programs to extend Washington state expertise to targeted foreign countries to help promote better health and technical assistance in agriculture, water resources, hydroelectric power, forestry management, education, and other areas.

          (4) Efforts where a special emphasis is placed on utilizing Washington state's rich human resources who are retired from public and private life and have the time to assist in this program.

          (5) People-to-people programs that may result in increased tourism, business relationships, and trade from targeted foreign nations to the Pacific Northwest.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The secretary of state shall report back to the legislature in January 1994 with a proposal for instituting a Washington state citizen and educational exchange program.

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