_______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE
HOUSE BILL 1499
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Passed
Legislature - 1997 Regular Session
AS
AMENDED BY THE SENATE
State of Washington 55th
Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/27/97.
Establishing
a rural development council.
AN
ACT Relating to a rural development council; adding new sections to chapter
43.31 RCW; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. A
new section is added to chapter 43.31 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The Washington state rural development council is established and governed by
an executive committee consisting of eleven members, appointed by the
governor. The members will include representatives from the following
categories: Business; natural resources; agriculture; environment; economic
development; education; health; human services; counties; cities; and tribal
governments.
(2)
New members of the executive committee are appointed for terms of three years
from the current membership list of the rural development council, as much as
possible. Committee members should be people who either live, work, or provide
direct services in rural areas. Committee membership must consist of no less
than ninety percent of the members living in a rural area. As a transition
strategy for the council, four representatives (business, counties, health,
agriculture) will be appointed in 1997, four (human services, natural
resources, cities, environment) in 1998, and three (economic development,
tribal government, education) in 1999. The new council will be fully formed in
1999.
(3)
The governor may make appointments from a list of candidates generated by the
executive committee. The executive committee shall generate a list of at least
three but not more than six candidates from recommendations from state-wide
associations. The list of candidates for the county representative shall be
generated by the Washington state association of counties. The list of
candidates for the city representative shall be generated by the association of
Washington cities. In making appointments, the governor shall consider an
equitable geographic distribution.
(4)
Members of the Washington state rural development council shall receive no
compensation for their services, but shall be eligible to receive reimbursement
for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(5)
The department of community, trade, and economic development may provide staff
support, administrative assistance, and office space to the council as
available.
(6)
The Washington state rural development council executive committee is
authorized to establish operating procedures, policies, and bylaws, and appoint
committees. In addition, the executive committee is responsible for hiring,
evaluating, and if necessary, firing the execute director according to state
policies and rules.
(7)
The Washington state rural development council is directed to: Inform
legislators, the governor's office, state agencies, and federal agencies about
the rural perspective on community development issues; identify and in some
cases develop recommended improvements to existing resource delivery systems;
and serve as a liaison or intermediary between rural communities and public and
private resource providers. The council's mission is to improve the delivery
and accessibility of public and private resources to meet the needs of rural
communities.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 43.31 RCW to read as follows:
The
legislature encourages state agencies to contribute financially to the rural
development council. In addition to the United States department of
agriculture and the state department of community, trade, and economic
development, all state agencies, federal agencies, and state-wide associations
that make a significant financial contribution to the rural development council
shall be ex officio members. In particular, state agencies serving rural
areas, including the departments of agriculture, fish and wildlife, ecology,
employment security, health, natural resources, social and health services, and
transportation, and the utilities and transportation commission, are encouraged
to contribute financially. Financial contributions from state agencies along
with those from the private sector and state-wide associations will enable the
rural development council to leverage federal funds at a three-to-one ratio
annually.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Sections
1 and 2 of this act expire June 30, 2003.
