S-4514.1
SENATE BILL 6589
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2018 Regular Session
By Senators Chase, Hasegawa, and Zeiger
Read first time 01/31/18. Referred to Committee on Economic Development & International Trade.
AN ACT Relating to establishing a joint legislative task force on the data center industry in Washington; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  (1)(a) A joint select legislative task force on maintaining and expanding the data center industry in Washington is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
(i) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.
(ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.
(iii) The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives jointly shall appoint four members representing local government or private sector interests.
(iv) The governor shall appoint one member representing the department of commerce.
(b) The legislative members of the task force shall convene the initial meeting of the task force. The task force shall select cochairs from among its legislative members at the initial meeting.
(2) The task force shall review the following issues:
(a) The current state of the data center industry in Washington;
(b) Policies and incentives available in Washington and other areas for data centers;
(c) Recommendations for changes to state and local policies to maintain and expand data centers and create jobs in Washington.
(3) Staff support for the task force must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.
(4) Legislative members of the task force are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.
(5) The expenses of the task force must be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
(6) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2018.
(7) This section expires December 31, 2018.
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