SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 5175

              As Passed Senate, February 26, 1999

Title:  An act relating to the donation of surplus computers and computer‑related equipment to school districts in Washington and educational service districts in Washington.

Brief Description:  Authorizing the donation of surplus computers and computer‑related equipment to school districts and educational service districts.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on State & Local Government (originally sponsored by Senators Patterson, Horn, Franklin, Eide, B. Sheldon, Finkbeiner, McCaslin, Goings, Oke, Winsley, Kohl‑Welles, Fraser, Rasmussen, Costa and Benton; by request of Department of General Administration and Superintendent of Public Instruction).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/25/99, 2/3/99 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/26/99, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5175 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Sharon Swanson (786-7445)

Background:  The Division of Purchasing of the Department of General Administration sells or exchanges, at public or private sales, surplus personal property belonging to state agencies or educational institutions.  Currently agencies are not allowed to donate surplus computers or computer-related equipment to school districts or educational service districts in Washington.

Summary of Bill:  An agency may donate, to any school district or educational service district in Washington, surplus computers and computer-related equipment. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of General Administration must, no later than September 1, 1999, develop guidelines and distribution standards to include considerations for quality, school-district need, and accountability. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction may donate surplus computers in accordance with the guidelines to be developed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  There is really no market for computers that are not top of the line.  Let schools have them.  They have multiple needs, can use computers for many reasons such as teaching students keyboarding and typing skills.  The state has a hard time determining fair market value so allowing a donation rather than a sale to schools would be beneficial.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Pat Kohler, Department of General Administration; Sam Hunt, Department of Information Services; Dennis Small, OSPI.

House Amendment(s):  The guidelines and distribution standards adopted by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and General Administration must give priority to meeting the computer related needs of children with disabilities, including those disabilities that require the portability of laptop computers.

The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, and the directors of legislative agencies may authorize surplus computers and computer-related equipment owned by his or her respective entity to be donated to school districts and educational service districts.

The legislative branch, elective offices and the state Legislature are included in the definition of Aagency,@ although the discretion of the Legislature regarding disposal of its surplus property is not limited.