Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Local Government Committee

HB 2832

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Concerning contracts with community service organizations for public improvements.

Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Gregerson and Santos.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Expands the projects for which a municipality may contract with a service organization or other association without regard to competitive bidding laws for public works.

  • Changes the consideration to be received by the public entity from at least three times the value of the payment to at least the value of the payment.

Hearing Date: 2/4/20

Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).

Background:

A county, city, town, school district, metropolitan park district, park an recreation district, port district, or park and recreation service area may, without regard to competitive bidding laws for public works, contract with a chamber of commerce, a service organization, a community, youth, or athletic associations, or other similar association located and providing service in the immediate neighborhood for drawing design plans; making improvements to a park, school playground, public square, or port habitat site; installing equipment or artworks; or providing maintenance services for a facility or facilities such as a community or neighborhood project, or environmental stewardship project.

The contracting association may be reimbursed for its expenses. The contracting association may use volunteers in the project and provide them with clothing or tools, meals or refreshments, accident/injury insurance coverage, and reimbursement of their expenses. The consideration to be received by the public entity through the value of the projects must have a value at least equal to three times that of the payment to the contracting association.

Summary of Bill:

The projects for which a county, city, town, school district, metropolitan park district, park and recreation district, port district, or park and recreation service area may contract without regard to competitive bidding laws are expanded to include making improvements to a public right-of-way or other public spaces, installing landscaping, or providing maintenance for equipment, landscaping, or artworks.

Environmental stewardship project is changed to an environmental justice stewardship or sustainability project.

The consideration to be received by the public entity through the value of the projects must have a value at least equal to the payment to the contracting association.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 27, 2020.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.