BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to international educational, cultural, and business exchanges; amending RCW 42.17.310; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040; adding new sections to chapter 43.07 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Educational, cultural, and business exchange programs are important in developing mutually beneficial relationships between Washington state and other countries;

(b) Enhanced international trade, cultural, and educational opportunities are developed when cities, counties, ports, and others establish sister relationships with their counterparts in other countries;

(d) The state's economy and economic well-being depend heavily on foreign trade and international exchanges.

(2) The legislature declares that the purpose of this act is to:

(a) Enhance Washington state's ability to develop relationships and contacts throughout the world enabling us to expand international education and trade opportunities for all citizens of the state;

(b) Develop and maintain an international data base of contacts in international trade markets;

(c) Encourage outstanding international students who reside in countries with existing trade relationships to attend Washington state's institutions of higher education; and

(d) Encourage Washington students to attend institutions of higher education located in countries with existing trading relationships with Washington state.

PART I - CULTURAL EXCHANGE COUNCIL

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The international education and exchange council is created in the secretary of state's office. The council is established as a public-private partnership. The purpose of the council is to assist the governor, the legislature, elected state officials, state and local agencies, educational institutions, businesses, and organizations that foster international educational, business, and cultural exchanges as these organizations and agencies attempt to implement and further develop Washington's efforts to work with targeted trading partners and with educational and trade organizations from outside the United States.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The initial members of the council may include, but need not be limited to:

(a) Representatives from the department of community, trade, and economic development; the department of agriculture; the office of the secretary of state; and the governor's office of protocol;

(b) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, selected by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(d) Representatives of the common schools and public and private institutions of higher education;

(e) Representatives of the business community who are working in state-international trade efforts;

(f) Representatives of organizations dedicated to international trade and cultural exchanges; and

(g) Interested members of the public selected by the secretary of state.

(2) The initial nonlegislative members shall be selected by the governor and the secretary of state.

(3) When the initial board members leave the council, any replacements shall be selected by members of the council.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The duties of the council may include, but need not be limited to:

(1) Advising the governor, elected state officials, the legislature, and others as appropriate on the needs of Washington state for international education and cultural exchange opportunities;

(2) Assisting efforts by state and local governments, business, education, and others to work with businesses, governmental units, educational institutions, and organizations outside the United States, with an emphasis on organizations, businesses, agencies, and educational institutions in the countries that comprise Washington's targeted trading partners;

(3) Promoting efforts to enhance cultural, business, and educational exchange opportunities;

(4) Assisting the department of community, trade, and economic development and the office of international relations and protocol to provide information and assist local governments in maintaining their established sister relationships in other countries;

(5) Assisting in maintaining the data base on cultural exchange opportunities and state residents who have participated in international exchanges;

(6) Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the Washington task force on international education and cultural exchanges; and

(7) Undertaking other duties as assigned.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The council may establish a private, nonprofit corporation created specifically to foster international educational, business, and cultural exchanges. Any such private, nonprofit corporation must qualify as a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation under section 501(c) of the federal internal revenue code.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The secretary of state and the council may accept gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests, and devises, of real or personal property, or both, in trust or otherwise, and sell, lease, exchange, invest, or expend these donations or the proceeds, rents, profits, and income from the donations except as limited by the donor's terms. The secretary of state shall adopt rules to govern and protect the receipt and expenditure of the proceeds.

PART II - INTERNATIONAL TRADING PARTNERS PROGRAM

NEW SECTION. Sec. 201. The legislature believes that Washington state has hundreds of residents with expertise that they are willing to share with developing international trade partners on a volunteer basis. The legislature believes that by sharing their knowledge and skills, these volunteers could enrich the lives of all Washingtonians by promoting friendship and understanding between cultures, providing trained manpower improving the lives of their friends overseas, and creating a positive international image of Washington state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 202. The secretary of state may develop a pilot project to furnish developing international trading partners with technical assistance, training, and expertise through services provided by volunteers. The secretary of state shall establish appropriate procedures to carry out the project. The secretary of state may appoint a director of the project who serves at the pleasure of the secretary of state, and appropriate staff as funding allows, however, the secretary of state is responsible for the continuous supervision and general direction of the project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 203. (1) The secretary of state may enroll residents of Washington state in the project. These residents, referred to in this chapter as volunteers, shall be selected based on their skills, expertise, and language proficiency, the technical, educational, or training needs of the participating country, and other considerations deemed relevant by the secretary of state to furthering the goals and purposes of the project. The secretary of state shall consider for participation in the program retired persons, students, and persons whose skills and backgrounds will contribute to the success of the program. In carrying out this subsection, there shall be no discrimination against any person based on race, gender, creed, or color.

(2) Volunteers shall not be deemed officers or employees of the state of Washington or otherwise in the service or employment of, or holding office under, the state of Washington.

(3) The terms and conditions of the enrollment, training, compensation, hours of work, benefits, leave, termination, and all other conditions of service of volunteers shall be exclusively those set forth by the terms of the project. Service as a volunteer may be terminated at any time at the pleasure of the secretary of state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 204. (1) If funding is available, volunteers may be provided with living, travel, and leave allowances, and such housing, transportation, supplies, and equipment as the secretary of state may deem necessary for their maintenance and to ensure their health and their capacity to serve effectively. Transportation may be provided to volunteers for travel to and from the country of service.

(2) The secretary of state may establish policies regarding arrangements for spouses and children of volunteers to accompany the volunteers abroad.

(3) The secretary of state shall indemnify the state for claims relating to the project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 205. Funding for the volunteer activities shall come from legislative appropriations, federal funds, private support funds, grant money available to implement technical assistance programs overseas, and such other funds as the secretary of state may receive.

PART III - INTERNATIONAL CONTACT DATA BASE

NEW SECTION. Sec. 301. (1) The legislature finds that knowledge of international exchange students who have studied in Washington state institutions of higher education, especially those from key trading partner countries, and knowledge of Washington state students, interns, and citizens working and studying abroad, is critical to the ability of Washington businesses and citizens to establish contacts and networks in the competitive world market.

(2) The legislature also finds that knowledge of worldwide business contacts, government contacts, cultural contacts, and international friends is critical to building a solid network of opportunities for developing trade relations for our state.

(3) The secretary of state shall develop and maintain a data base, to be known as the international contact data base, listing, in addition to any other information: (a) Washington students, interns, and citizens working and studying overseas; (b) international students who have studied at Washington educational institutions; (c) exchange opportunities for Washington residents wishing to participate in education, internships, or technical assistance programs in the areas of agriculture, hydroelectric power, aerospace, computers and technology, academics, medicine, and communications; (d) international business contacts of those people interested in doing business with Washington business; and (e) international government contacts, particularly with our key trading partners.

The data base shall be designed to be used as a resource for Washington citizens, businesses, and other entities seeking contacts in international trade markets overseas.

(4) The department of community, trade, and economic development, the department of agriculture, and the governor's office of protocol shall assist the secretary of state in designing and developing the data base and in obtaining data for inclusion in the data base. Four-year educational institutions and their alumni associations are encouraged to maintain data concerning students studying or working abroad, international students attending their institutions, and exchange opportunities available to their students and other citizens, and to make such data freely available to the secretary of state for inclusion in the data base.

(5) The information contained in the data base shall be made available on request for inspection or copying for free or at cost. The secretary of state shall not distinguish among persons requesting information from the data base, though the secretary of state may request information from requesters for purposes of monitoring trade contacts and evaluating the uses and effectiveness of the data base.

(6) Any person listed in the data base may request in writing that his or her name, address, telephone number, or other identifying information be omitted from the data base. Nothing in this section prohibits the secretary of state from refusing to disclose information exempt from disclosure under RCW 42.17.310.

Sec. 302. RCW 42.17.310 and 1995 c 267 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The following are exempt from public inspection and copying:

(a) Personal information in any files maintained for students in public schools, patients or clients of public institutions or public health agencies, or welfare recipients.

(b) Personal information in files maintained for employees, appointees, or elected officials of any public agency to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy.

(c) Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax if the disclosure of the information to other persons would (i) be prohibited to such persons by RCW 82.32.330 or (ii) violate the taxpayer's right to privacy or result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the taxpayer.

(d) Specific intelligence information and specific investigative records compiled by investigative, law enforcement, and penology agencies, and state agencies vested with the responsibility to discipline members of any profession, the nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy.

(e) Information revealing the identity of persons who are witnesses to or victims of crime or who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies, other than the public disclosure commission, if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property. If at the time a complaint is filed the complainant, victim or witness indicates a desire for disclosure or nondisclosure, such desire shall govern. However, all complaints filed with the public disclosure commission about any elected official or candidate for public office must be made in writing and signed by the complainant under oath.

(f) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination.

(g) Except as provided by chapter 8.26 RCW, the contents of real estate appraisals, made for or by any agency relative to the acquisition or sale of property, until the project or prospective sale is abandoned or until such time as all of the property has been acquired or the property to which the sale appraisal relates is sold, but in no event shall disclosure be denied for more than three years after the appraisal.

(h) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, and research data obtained by any agency within five years of the request for disclosure when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss.

(i) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended except that a specific record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by an agency in connection with any agency action.

(j) Records which are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery for causes pending in the superior courts.

(k) Records, maps, or other information identifying the location of archaeological sites in order to avoid the looting or depredation of such sites.

(l) Any library record, the primary purpose of which is to maintain control of library materials, or to gain access to information, which discloses or could be used to disclose the identity of a library user.

(m) Financial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, or corporation for the purpose of qualifying to submit a bid or proposal for (i) a ferry system construction or repair contract as required by RCW 47.60.680 through 47.60.750 or (ii) highway construction or improvement as required by RCW 47.28.070.

(n) Railroad company contracts filed prior to July 28, 1991, with the utilities and transportation commission under RCW 81.34.070, except that the summaries of the contracts are open to public inspection and copying as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(o) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons pertaining to export services provided pursuant to chapter 43.163 RCW and chapter 53.31 RCW.

(p) Financial disclosures filed by private vocational schools under chapter 28C.10 RCW.

(q) Records filed with the utilities and transportation commission or attorney general under RCW 80.04.095 that a court has determined are confidential under RCW 80.04.095.

(r) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by businesses or individuals during application for loans or program services provided by chapters 43.163, 43.160, 43.330, and 43.168 RCW, or during application for economic development loans or program services provided by any local agency.

(s) Membership lists or lists of members or owners of interests of units in timeshare projects, subdivisions, camping resorts, condominiums, land developments, or common-interest communities affiliated with such projects, regulated by the department of licensing, in the files or possession of the department.

(t) All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant.

(u) The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency which are held by the agency in personnel records, employment or volunteer rosters, or mailing lists of employees or volunteers.

(v) The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of the customers of a public utility contained in the records or lists held by the public utility of which they are customers.

(w)(i) The federal social security number of individuals governed under chapter 18.130 RCW maintained in the files of the department of health, except this exemption does not apply to requests made directly to the department from federal, state, and local agencies of government, and national and state licensing, credentialing, investigatory, disciplinary, and examination organizations; (ii) the current residential address and current residential telephone number of a health care provider governed under chapter 18.130 RCW maintained in the files of the department, if the provider requests that this information be withheld from public inspection and copying, and provides to the department an accurate alternate or business address and business telephone number. On or after January 1, 1995, the current residential address and residential telephone number of a health care provider governed under RCW 18.130.140 maintained in the files of the department shall automatically be withheld from public inspection and copying if the provider has provided the department with an accurate alternative or business address and telephone number.

(x) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy as provided in RCW 69.45.090.

(y) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy or the department of health and its representatives as provided in RCW 69.41.044, 69.41.280, and 18.64.420.

(z) Financial information, business plans, examination reports, and any information produced or obtained in evaluating or examining a business and industrial development corporation organized or seeking certification under chapter 31.24 RCW.

(aa) Financial and commercial information supplied to the state investment board by any person when the information relates to the investment of public trust or retirement funds and when disclosure would result in loss to such funds or in private loss to the providers of this information.

(bb) Financial and valuable trade information under RCW 51.36.120.

(cc) Client records maintained by an agency that is a domestic violence program as defined in RCW 70.123.020 or 70.123.075 or a rape crisis center as defined in RCW 70.125.030.

(dd) Information that identifies a person who, while an agency employee: (i) Seeks advice, under an informal process established by the employing agency, in order to ascertain his or her rights in connection with a possible unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW against the person; and (ii) requests his or her identity or any identifying information not be disclosed.

(ee) Investigative records compiled by an employing agency conducting a current investigation of a possible unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW or of a possible violation of other federal, state, or local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment.

(ff) Business related information protected from public inspection and copying under RCW 15.86.110.

(gg) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the clean Washington center in applications for, or delivery of, program services under chapter 70.95H RCW.

(hh) Information and documents created specifically for, and collected and maintained by a quality improvement committee pursuant to RCW 43.70.510, regardless of which agency is in possession of the information and documents.

(ii) Personal information in files maintained in a data base created under section 301 of this act.

(2) Except for information described in subsection (1)(c)(i) of this section and confidential income data exempted from public inspection pursuant to RCW 84.40.020, the exemptions of this section are inapplicable to the extent that information, the disclosure of which would violate personal privacy or vital governmental interests, can be deleted from the specific records sought. No exemption may be construed to permit the nondisclosure of statistical information not descriptive of any readily identifiable person or persons.

(3) Inspection or copying of any specific records exempt under the provisions of this section may be permitted if the superior court in the county in which the record is maintained finds, after a hearing with notice thereof to every person in interest and the agency, that the exemption of such records is clearly unnecessary to protect any individual's right of privacy or any vital governmental function.

(4) Agency responses refusing, in whole or in part, inspection of any public record shall include a statement of the specific exemption authorizing the withholding of the record (or part) and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the record withheld.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 303. The department of community, trade, and economic development, in consultation with the office of protocol, the office of the secretary of state, the department of agriculture, and the employment security department shall identify up to fifteen countries that are of strategic importance to the development of Washington's international trade relations.

PART IV - INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGES AND INTERNSHIPS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 401. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(2) "Eligible participant" means an international student whose country of residence has a trade relationship with the state of Washington.

(3) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a college or university in the state of Washington that is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the board.

(4) "Service obligation" means volunteering for a minimum number of hours as established by the board based on the amount of scholarship award, to speak to or teach groups of Washington citizens, including but not limited to elementary, middle, and high schools, service clubs, and universities.

(5) "Washington international exchange scholarship program" means a scholarship award for a period not to exceed one academic year to attend a Washington institution of higher education made to an international student whose country has an established trade relationship with Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 402. The Washington international exchange scholarship program is created. The program shall be administered by the board. In administering the program, the board shall:

(1) Convene an advisory committee that may include but need not be limited to representatives of the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of community, trade, and economic development, the secretary of state, private business, and institutions of higher education;

(2) Select students to receive the scholarship with the assistance of a screening committee composed of leaders in business, international trade, and education;

(3) Adopt necessary rules and guidelines including rules for disbursing scholarship funds to participants;

(4) Publicize the program;

(5) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the program;

(6) Establish and notify participants of service obligations; and

(7) Establish a formula for selecting the countries from which participants may be selected in consultation with the department of community, trade, and economic development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 403. The board may negotiate and enter into a reciprocal agreement with foreign countries that have international students attending institutions in Washington. The goal of the reciprocal agreements shall be to allow Washington students enrolled in an institution of higher education to attend an international institution under similar terms and conditions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 404. If funds are available, the board shall select students yearly to receive a Washington international exchange student scholarship from moneys earned from the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund created in section 406 of this act, from funds appropriated to the board for this purpose, or from any private donations, or from any other funds given to the board for this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 405. The Washington international exchange trust fund is established in the custody of the state treasurer. Any funds appropriated by the legislature for the trust fund shall be deposited into the fund. At the request of the board, and when conditions set forth in section 407 of this act are met, the treasurer shall deposit state matching moneys from the Washington international exchange trust fund into the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the trust fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 406. The Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund is established in the custody of the state treasurer. Moneys received from the private donations and funds received from any other source may be deposited into the endowment fund. At the request of the board, the treasurer shall release earnings from the endowment fund to the board for scholarships. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the endowment fund. The principal of the endowment fund shall not be invaded. The earnings on the fund shall be used solely for the purposes in this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 407. The board may request that the treasurer deposit state matching funds into the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund when the board can match the state funds with an equal amount of private cash donations, including conditional gifts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 408. Each Washington international exchange scholarship recipient shall agree to complete the service obligation as defined by the board.

Sec. 409. RCW 43.79A.040 and 1995 c 394 s 2 and 1995 c 365 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury.

(2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust fund shall be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be known as the investment income account.

(3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the investment income account to the state general fund except under (b) and (c) of this subsection.

(b) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment fund, the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund, the energy account, the fair fund, the game farm alternative account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the rural rehabilitation account, and the self-insurance revolving fund. However, the earnings to be distributed shall first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.

(c) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The advanced right of way revolving fund, the federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high occupancy vehicle account, and the local rail service assistance account.

(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 410. (1) The higher education coordinating board shall establish an advisory committee to assist in program design and to develop criteria for an international students internship program.

(2) The advisory committee may include, but need not be limited to the governor, a representative of the department of community, trade, and economic development, the secretary of state, and representatives of institutions of higher education, cultural exchange organizations, international trade organizations, and business.

(3) By December 31, 1997, the board shall make recommendations for legislation establishing a program for successful completion of internships within countries of targeted trading partners identified by the department of community, trade, and economic development that provides for credit opportunities toward degree programs for Washington state students.

(4) The advisory committee established in subsection (1) of this section shall expire December 1, 1997.

PART V - TECHNICAL PROVISIONS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 501. Sections 101 through 105 and 301 of this act are each added to chapter 43.07 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 502. Sections 201 through 205 and 301 of this act shall expire December 31, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 503. (1) Sections 201 through 205 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

(2) Sections 401 through 408 and 410 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 504. 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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 505. Part headings as used in this act constitute no part of the law.