S-3852.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6680

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Rasmussen, Winsley, Gardner, Deccio, Heavey, Shin, Prentice, Hale, T. Sheldon, Sheahan, Swecker, Eide, Stevens, Fraser, Morton, Honeyford, Spanel, Jacobsen, B. Sheldon, Patterson and Oke

Read first time 01/21/2000.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Rural Economic Development.

Requiring recommendations for continued funding assistance of fairs and youth shows.

    AN ACT Relating to developing recommendations for continued funding assistance of fairs and youth shows; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that fairs and youth shows provide communities with many tangible and intangible benefits including providing responsible and productive educational opportunities for youth and providing an annual community festivity that brings together people of all ages.

    The legislature finds that fairs and youth shows are a rich tradition and that state funds have been distributed to many fairs and youth shows for several decades.  However, the traditional source of funding that fairs and youth shows have relied upon has become undependable.

    The purpose of this act is to establish a task force to develop recommendations for long-term funding of community, county, and area fairs and youth shows.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) There is hereby created the task force on funding of fairs and youth shows.  The task force shall be comprised of the following members:

    (a) One member of the office of financial management appointed by the governor;

    (b) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each major caucus, appointed by the co-speakers of the house of representatives;

    (c) Two members of the senate, one from each major caucus, appointed by the president of the senate;

    (d) One representative of the department of agriculture, appointed by the director of the department of agriculture;

    (e) One representative of the horse racing commission, appointed by the chair of the horse racing commission;

    (f) Three representatives of fairs, appointed by the president of the state fairs association, one to represent each of the following:  Community fairs, large county and area fairs, and small county and area fairs;

    (g) One representative of youth livestock shows, appointed by the dean of the college of agriculture and home economics at Washington State University;

    (h) One representative of the horse racing industry appointed by agreement of the co-speakers of the house of representatives and president of the senate; and

    (i) One representative of county governments, appointed by the Washington association of counties.

    (2) The task force shall conduct an inquiry to become knowledgeable about the following:

    (a) The December 1, 1999, report by the joint legislative audit and review committee;

    (b) The operations of fairs and youth shows, and how state funding assistance has been used in recent decades to support these events;

    (c) How fairs and youth shows are administered, and the nature of revenues and expenditures that support these events;

    (d) How the state fair fund has been administered, and whether there are efficiency improvements to reduce the cost of administering the state fair fund; and

    (e) Whether there are efficiency improvements to reduce the cost of administration of the horse racing commission.

    (3) By December 10, 2000, the task force shall develop recommendations on the amount and source or sources of funding needed to encourage fairs and youth shows and any legislative proposals needed to implement the task force recommendations.

    (4) The task force shall convene as soon as possible upon appointment of its members.  Members shall be appointed by May 15, 2000.  The task force shall elect a chair and agree upon rules for conducting the business of the task force.  Staff support for the task force shall be provided by the office of financial management.

    (5) This section expires December 31, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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