Title: An act relating to creating a women's history consortium.

Brief Description: Creating a women's history consortium.

Sponsors: Senators Fraser, Eide, McAuliffe, Kohl-Welles, Keiser, Franklin, Kline, Haugen, Spanel and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education: 2/11/05, 2/21/05 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/10/05, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING, K-12 & HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Pridemore, Vice Chair; Benton, Delvin, Eide, Kohl-Welles, Pflug, Schoesler and Shin.

Staff: Ingrid Mungia (786-7423)

Background: Currently, there is no systematic effort to compile the history of Washington State's efforts to achieve substantial improvements in the legal rights and opportunities for women and girls. The 2004 Washington State Legislature directed the Institute for Public Policy (Institute) to make recommendations to the 2005 Legislature for the development of a state's women's history organization. To solicit a range of views, the Institute was directed to convene an advisory group of experts, survey the public, and research the work of similar organizations across the country.

Summary of Bill: A Washington women's history consortium, with the Washington State historical society as the managing agency, is established. The consortium is managed by a 15 member board of advisors representing a wide range of perspectives. The board is responsible for:

• organizational and fiscal planning, management, and oversight;
• adopting criteria and procedures for consortium membership and member responsibility;
• identifying short-term and long-term priorities of the consortium;
• appointing special committees and task forces to assist the consortium's tasks; and
• developing recommendations for a statewide commemoration the centennial of the 2010 centennial of the women's suffrage amendment to the state Constitution.

Within the available resources, the women's history consortium is responsible for:

• compiling an index of existing historical relevant materials;
• identifying topics, historical periods, materials, or activities not well represented in public collections;
• encouraging collection and preservation of materials important to understanding Washington's women's history;
• referring potential donors of historical materials to appropriate agencies and organizations throughout the state;
• developing protocol for the protection of materials historically relevant;
• encouraging development and sharing among member organizations;
• encouraging public and educational access to women's history information;
• seeking private donations;
• developing a concept for a grant program;
• developing a volunteer program; and
• encouraging development of curriculum materials.

The consortium board of advisors is required to provide a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2006 addressing the progress of activities outlined in the bill and the consortium needs and plans for the future. The consortium must also provide a report to the Governor and the legislature by September 1, 2006, regarding recommendations for commemorating the 2010 centennial of the women's suffrage amendment to the state Constitution.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: It is important to document women's achievements in Washington State. The key findings of the consortium are to focus on collecting information that has not been collected thus far. The information collected needs to have a strong online presence. The consortium is a good idea because it increases local collections and allows students to study women's history. The Washington State History Society can give the consortium good support and direction. The 2010 Centennial of women's suffrage is a good opportunity to cultivate citizen interest and tap into American value and history. The Centennial will also bring information to the state and show how Washington contributed to the women's suffrage movement.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Peggy Smith, citizen; Annie Pennucci, Washington State Institute for Public Policy; Sue Lean, citizen; Dave Nicandri, Washington State Historical Society; Kyra Kester, OSPI.

House Amendment(s): The amendment specifies motherhood as an unrepresented topic of Washington women's history that the consortium must develop strategies to promote.

Passed House: 94-0.