AN ACT Relating to plaques for certain state-funded capital budget projects; amending RCW 27.34.330; adding a new section to chapter 43.46 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 43.63A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.46 RCW to read as follows:

The Washington state arts commission shall provide a plaque sized five and three-quarter inches square and one-fourth to one-half inch deep that must be affixed to buildings or displayed as part of a project receiving a capital budget appropriation of more than ninety-nine thousand dollars, as required in section 2 of this act and RCW 27.34.330. The plaque shall contain language stating, at a minimum, that the building or project has been made possible by the tax dollars of Washington citizens.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW to read as follows:

The department must require the inclusion of a plaque, as specified in section 1 of this act, for capital budget projects that receive more than ninety-nine thousand dollars under RCW 43.63A.125, 43.63A.135, and 43.63A.750 and capital budget local and community projects that receive more than ninety-nine thousand dollars.

Sec. 3.  RCW 27.34.330 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 3 s 7014 are each amended to read as follows:

The Washington state historical society shall establish a competitive process to solicit proposals for and prioritize heritage capital projects for potential funding in the state capital budget. The society shall adopt rules governing project eligibility and evaluation criteria. Application for funding of specific projects may be made to the society by local governments, public development authorities, nonprofit corporations, tribal governments, and other entities, as determined by the society. The society, with the advice of leaders in the heritage field, including but not limited to representatives from the office of the secretary of state, the eastern Washington state historical society, and the department of archaeology and historic preservation, shall establish and submit a prioritized list of heritage capital projects to the governor and the legislature in the society's biennial capital budget request. The list shall include a description of each project, the amount of recommended state funding, and documentation of nonstate funds to be used for the project. The total amount of recommended state funding for projects on a biennial project list shall not exceed ten million dollars. The prioritized list shall be developed through open and public meetings and the amount of state funding shall not exceed thirty-three and thirty-three one-hundredths percent of the total cost of the project. The nonstate portion of the total project cost may include cash, the value of real property when acquired solely for the purpose of the project, and in-kind contributions. The department shall not sign contracts or otherwise financially obligate funds under this section until the legislature has approved a specific list of projects. In contracts for grants authorized under this section, the society shall include provisions requiring that capital improvements be held by the grantee for a specified period of time appropriate to the amount of the grant and that facilities be used for the express purpose of the grant. If the grantee is found to be out of compliance with provisions of the contract, the grantee shall repay to the state general fund the principal amount of the grant plus interest calculated at the rate of interest on state of Washington general obligation bonds issued most closely to the date of authorization of the grant. The society must require the inclusion of a plaque, as specified in section 1 of this act, for projects that receive more than ninety-nine thousand dollars under this section.

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