Read first time 02/05/2003.   Referred to Committee on Economic Development.

     AN ACT Relating to the community economic revitalization board; and amending RCW 43.160.030 and 43.160.035.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.160.030 and 1996 c 51 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The community economic revitalization board is hereby created to exercise the powers granted under this chapter.
     (2) The board shall consist of ((the chairman of and one minority member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives from the committee of the house of representatives that deals with issues of economic development, the chairman of and one minority member appointed by the president of the senate from the committee of the senate that deals with issues of economic development, and)) one member from each of the two major caucuses of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house and one member from each of the two major caucuses of the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate. The board shall also consist of the following members appointed by the governor: A recognized private or public sector economist; one port district official; one county official; one city official; one representative of the public; one representative of small businesses each from: (a) The area west of Puget Sound, (b) the area east of Puget Sound and west of the Cascade range, (c) the area east of the Cascade range and west of the Columbia river, and (d) the area east of the Columbia river; one executive from large businesses each from the area west of the Cascades and the area east of the Cascades. The appointive members shall initially be appointed to terms as follows: Three members for one-year terms, three members for two-year terms, and three members for three- year terms which shall include the chair. Thereafter each succeeding term shall be for three years. The chair of the board shall be selected by the governor. The members of the board shall elect one of their members to serve as vice-chair. The director of community, trade, and economic development, the director of revenue, the commissioner of employment security, and the secretary of transportation shall serve as nonvoting advisory members of the board.
     (3) Management services, including fiscal and contract services, shall be provided by the department to assist the board in implementing this chapter and the allocation of private activity bonds.
     (4) Members of the board shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (5) If a vacancy occurs by death, resignation, or otherwise of appointive members of the board, the governor shall fill the same for the unexpired term. Members of the board may be removed for malfeasance or misfeasance in office, upon specific written charges by the governor, under chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (6) A member appointed by the governor may not be absent from more than fifty percent of the regularly scheduled meetings in any one calendar year. Any member who exceeds this absence limitation is deemed to have withdrawn from the office and may be replaced by the governor.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.160.035 and 1993 c 320 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each member of the house of representatives who is appointed to the community economic revitalization board under RCW 43.160.030 may designate another member ((of)) from the ((trade, economic development, and housing committee of the)) house of representatives to take his or her place on the board for meetings at which the member will be absent, as long as the designated member belongs to the same caucus. The designee shall have all powers to vote and participate in board deliberations as have the other board members. Each member of the senate who is appointed to the community economic revitalization board under RCW 43.160.030 may designate another member ((of)) from the ((trade, technology, and economic development committee of the)) senate to take his or her place on the board for meetings at which the member will be absent, as long as the designated member belongs to the same caucus. The designee shall have all powers to vote and participate in board deliberations as have the other board members. Each agency head of an executive agency who is appointed to serve as a nonvoting advisory member of the community economic revitalization board under RCW 43.160.030 may designate an agency employee to take his or her place on the board for meetings at which the agency head will be absent. The designee will have all powers to participate in board deliberations as have the other board members but shall not have voting powers.