BILL REQ. #:  H-1330.1 

Read first time 02/11/13.   Referred to Committee on Technology & Economic Development.

     AN ACT Relating to creating and using digital infrastructure maps to inform economic development decisions; amending RCW 43.330.010; and adding new sections to chapter 43.330 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.330 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that every year significant public and private infrastructure investments are made in Washington for the purposes of energy, information networks, and transportation. These investments are critical to connecting regions, and to achieving long-term global competitiveness and to creating equal access to economic opportunity for all the state's citizens.
     (2) The legislature further finds that the public and private investments may not be coordinated such that they provide maximum efficiency and effectiveness, and that access to a broader array of information would enable the state to make and manage more informed investment decisions.
     (3) Therefore, the legislature intends to direct the creation and use of digital cross-system infrastructure maps to inform and develop state priorities around economic development.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.330 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The state energy office and broadband office of the department, and the community economic revitalization board, in collaboration with the department of transportation and department of natural resources, and in consultation with other agencies and organizations with expertise in energy, information networks, and transportation, must develop one or more digital layered maps that identify:
     (a) Major power facilities and energy infrastructure sites;
     (b) Broadband availability; and
     (c) Rail corridors, public highways including waterways, and ports.
     (2) The department and department of transportation must analyze the maps to identify:
     (a) Gaps in infrastructure, including missing, aged and substandard infrastructure, corresponding with economic corridors; and
     (b) Priority areas for future investment, based on the ability of the infrastructure to meet the needs of local economies to compete in the regional and global marketplace.
     (3) The department and department of transportation must jointly report to the legislature by January 1st of each year, beginning on January 1, 2014, with the infrastructure gaps and investment recommendations.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.330.010 and 2011 c 286 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
     (1) "Associate development organization" means a local economic development nonprofit corporation that is broadly representative of community interests.
     (2) "Department" means the department of commerce.
     (3) "Director" means the director of the department of commerce.
     (4) "Energy" has the definition in RCW 43.21F.025.
     (5) "Financial institution" means a bank, trust company, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union authorized to do business in this state under state or federal law.
     (((5))) (6) "Microenterprise development organization" means a community development corporation, a nonprofit development organization, a nonprofit social services organization or other locally operated nonprofit entity that provides services to low-income entrepreneurs.
     (((6))) (7) "Small business" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 39.29.006.
     (((7))) (8) "Statewide microenterprise association" means a nonprofit entity with microenterprise development organizations as members that serves as an intermediary between the department of commerce and local microenterprise development organizations.