SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5734

As Passed Senate, March 9, 2001

Title:  An act relating to agricultural fairs.

Brief Description:  Modifying requirements to receive state allocations for an agricultural fair.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Agriculture & International Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Hale, Hewitt and Parlette).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Agriculture & International Trade:  2/16/01 [DPS].

Passed Senate:  3/9/01, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5734 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Rasmussen, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Sheahan, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff:  Bob Lee (786‑7404)

Background:  To qualify for an allocation from the state fair fund, a fair organization is required to have conducted two successful consecutive annual fairs immediately preceding the year of application for funding.  The director of the Department of Agriculture was authorized to waive this requirement for the period from January 1, 1994, though June 30, 1997.

Interest has been expressed to change the organizational structure of a county fair that historically has  been operated jointly by two counties into an area fair operated by a local fair association.

Summary of Bill:  The director of the Department of Agriculture is authorized to waive the requirement for two years of successful operation for a fair that reorganizes from a county fair to an area fair.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  The Benton‑Franklin County Fair has been jointly sponsored by Benton County and Franklin County for 50 years as a county fair.  The same fair will continue but will be sponsored by the local fair association.  That results in it falling into the area fair category which requires two years of successful operation in order to qualify for an allocation from the state fair fund. This bill is needed so that this fair won't lose its eligibility.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Hale, prime sponsor; Heather Hansen, WA State Fairs Assn. (pro); Leslie Emerica, WA State Dept. of Agriculture (pro).