SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1059

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Commerce & Trade, March 20, 2003

Title: An act relating to the creation of a joint legislative oversight committee on trade policy.

Brief Description: Creating a joint committee on trade policy.

Sponsors: House Committee on Trade & Economic Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Veloria, Sump, Grant and Clements).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 3/20/03 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Franklin and Keiser.

Staff: Elizabeth Mitchell (786-7430)

Background: International trade agreements such as WTO and NAFTA may have implications for Washington State laws.

Summary of Bill: A joint legislative oversight committee on trade policy is created. The committee consists of four members of the Senate, four members of the House of Representatives, a representative of the Department of Agriculture, the State Trade Representative, and a representative from the Office of the Attorney General. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives must submit a list of appointees by July 1, 2003.

The committee's duties include: hearing public testimony on the impacts of international trade agreements and negotiations on Washington State, actively communicating with the State Trade Representative and Washington's congressional delegation on trade policy issues, and conducting an annual assessment on the impacts of international trade agreements on Washington law. The committee must annually report to the State Trade Representative and the Legislature regarding the public testimony on the impacts of international trade agreements and negotiations on Washington State. The committee must also submit an annual report to the Legislature on its assessment of the impacts of international trade agreements on Washington law.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except for Section 2, which takes effect immediately.

Testimony For: Another round of WTO negotiations is beginning. It is important that we do our homework and determine the impact of trade agreements on Washington law.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Representative Veloria, prime sponsor.