8406 AMH TED H2410.1

8406 AMH TED H2410.1

By Representative Van Luven

SCR 8406 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Trade & Economic Development

On page 1, beginning on line 1, strike the remainder of the resolution and insert the following:

"WHEREAS, Washington state trade missions play a vital and important role in the state's economic development, promoting the growth of businesses and agriculture, and resulting in job creation; and

WHEREAS, The participation of Washington state legislators in trade missions is critical to the success of fostering strong relations with the state's trading partners and creating new trade opportunities for businesses in Washington state; and

WHEREAS, The participation of Washington state legislators in trade missions enables the legislature to craft legislation which better addresses trade and fosters better understanding between the people of Washington state and the people of other nations; and

WHEREAS, The involvement of Washington state legislators in trade missions should be governed by protocols adopted by the legislature;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That state trade missions will be initiated and organized by the executive of the agency, which includes the Office of the Governor; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the following protocol order of precedence will be established for executive agency trade missions:

(1) Governor;

(2) Lieutenant governor;

(3) Secretary of state;

(4) State treasurer;

(5) State auditor;

(6) Attorney general;

(7) Superintendent of public instruction;

(8) Commissioner of public lands;

(9) Insurance commissioner;

(10) Chief justice of the supreme court;

(11) Former governors;

(12) Justices of the supreme court;

(13) Members of the executive cabinet:

(a) Director of agriculture;

(b) Director of trade and economic development;

(d) Chief of staff to the governor;

(e) Governor's special trade representative;

(14) Speaker of the house of representatives;

(15) President pro tempore of the senate;

(16) Members of the senate;

(17) Former lieutenant governors;

(18) Members of the house of representatives;

(19) Former secretaries of state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the executive agency organizing the trade mission will inform both houses of the legislature, as well as the chair and ranking minority member of the appropriate legislative committees involved in agriculture and trade issues, of forthcoming trade missions in a timely manner. In its official notice to the legislature and appropriate legislative committees, the executive agency is responsible for providing the following information:

(1) A statement of trade mission objectives, dates, and expected itinerary; and

(2) A description of the type of knowledge, background, and experience held by a delegation member which might provide assistance to the trade mission; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the legislature shall develop criteria for legislator participation in trade missions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Office of the Governor, in consultation with the legislature, shall develop a two-tier fee system that establishes separate fees for nonlegislative participants and legislative participants where the fee charged legislative participants, including their guests and legislative staff, does not exceed the actual costs associated with their participation in the trade mission; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of the Senate and the Co-Chief Clerks of the House of Representatives shall explore and make recommendations to the legislature on methods to cover the costs of legislative member participation in trade missions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the executive agency may request that one or more of the participating legislators serve as honorary designated leaders of the trade mission; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That at least one or more legislators from each caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives may participate in the trade mission, depending on the size and scope of the trade mission. The legislature will notify the executive agency of legislative participants in a timely manner; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That whenever possible, legislators possessing business, foreign market, language, cultural expertise, or pertinent committee involvement to the trade mission are encouraged to participate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That each legislative participant is responsible for assisting the trade mission to achieve its stated goals and objectives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the designated leader of the trade mission will work closely with agency staff to develop the trade mission protocols and responsibilities and define the working relationship with agency staff; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That following completion of the trade mission, upon request, each legislative participant is encouraged to provide feedback concerning the mission and its results to the agency in a timely manner; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That nothing in this resolution precludes members of the legislature from participating in the trade mission."