HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1798
As Reported by House Committee On:
State Government & Tribal Relations
Title: An act relating to powers of the legislative committee on economic development and international relations.
Brief Description: Concerning powers of the legislative committee on economic development and international relations.
Sponsors: Representatives Ryu, Boehnke and Berry; by request of Lieutenant Governor.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
State Government & Tribal Relations: 1/17/22, 1/20/22 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Removes the requirement that the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations review the adoption of any state tourism slogan or tagline recommended by the Washington Tourism Marketing Authority.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & TRIBAL RELATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 7 members:Representatives Valdez, Chair; Lekanoff, Vice Chair; Volz, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dolan, Graham and Gregerson.
Staff: Desiree Omli (786-7105) and Emily Stephens (786-7296).
Background:

Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations.

The Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations (Committee) provides responsive and consistent involvement by the Legislature in economic development to maintain a healthy state economy and to provide employment opportunities to Washington residents.  The Committee is authorized to study and review economic development issues, with a special emphasis on international trade, tourism, investment, and industrial development.  The Committee must assist the Legislature in developing a comprehensive and consistent economic development policy.  The Committee is composed of six senators and six representatives from the Legislature and is chaired by the Lieutenant Governor. 

 

The Committee is required to review 10 issues related to economic development.  In 2020 legislation was enacted requiring the Committee to review, among other things, the study or adoption of any state tourism slogan or tagline recommended by the Washington Tourism Marketing Authority (Authority).


Washington Tourism Marketing Authority.
The Authority was established in 2018 and is responsible for contracting for statewide tourism marketing services that promote tourism.  The Authority may enter into a contract for a statewide tourism marketing plan and evaluation of the impact of the statewide tourism marketing program.
Summary of Bill:

The requirement that the Committee must review the issue of studying and adopting any state tourism slogan or tagline recommended by the Authority is removed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The Authority includes legislators, agency representatives, and industry representatives, and identifies appropriate marketing schemes for Washington.  It works closely with the Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) and voted to recommend the WTA's slogan and tagline recommendation last year.  The Authority provides appropriate oversight of the WTA.  Current law requires a potential slogan or tagline to be approved by the Committee and the Authority.  This is duplicative, as there are legislators who sit on both the Authority and the Committee.  Furthermore, the Committee is not the proper place for this issue to reside, as the Committee's meetings are too intermittent to move forward in a timely manner on tourism marketing.

 

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Cindy Ryu, prime sponsor; Julia Gorton, Washington Hospitality Association; and David Bremer, Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.