SENATE BILL REPORT
EHB 1086
As of March 6, 2023
Title: An act relating to increasing local governments' ability to contract with community service organizations.
Brief Description: Increasing local governments' ability to contract with community service organizations.
Sponsors: Representatives Shavers, Ryu, Ramel, Lekanoff, Callan, Simmons, Timmons, Thai, Paul, Santos, Ormsby and Tharinger.
Brief History: Passed House: 2/6/23, 84-9.
Committee Activity: Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs: 3/09/23.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Authorizes a local government to contract with a community service organization for improvements to public spaces and maintenance services for an environmental justice stewardship or sustainability project.
  • Amends the threshold for reimbursement of expenses based on value of work completed by community service organizations.
  • Increases the limit on the yearly value of contracts that can be provided by a jurisdiction to community service organizations without competitive bidding to $75,000.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LAND USE & TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Staff: Maggie Douglas (786-7279)
Background:

Public Works Contracts. State and local public works projects are subject to competitive bidding requirements. Public works projects may include any work, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement other than ordinary maintenance, executed at the cost of the state or municipality.
 
Municipalities, including cities, counties, school districts, park districts, or port districts, are subject to competitive bidding requirements for public work projects.
 
Contracts with Community Service Organizations for Public Improvements. Any county, city, town, school district, metropolitan park district, park and recreation district, port district, or park and recreation service area may contract with a community service organization for certain local improvement projects. These projects may include:

  • 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 as a community neighborhood project or environmental stewardship project.

 
The contracting association may use volunteers in the project and may provide clothing, tools, meals, insurance coverage, and reimbursement of the volunteers' expenses. The local government may reimburse the community service organization for its expenses provided that the value of the work is at least three times as much as the payment to the organization. 

 

The yearly total payments made to community service organizations under this exemption must not exceed the greater of $25,000 or $2 per resident residing within the boundaries of the jurisdiction.
Summary of Bill:

The bill as referred to committee not considered.
Summary of Bill (Proposed Striking Amendment):

A local government may contract with a community service organization for improvements to other public spaces in addition to locations identified above maintenance services for an environmental justice stewardship or sustainability project.
 
A local government may reimburse the community service organization for its expenses provided that the value of the work is at least twice as much, rather than three times as much, as the reimbursement payment to the community service organization.
 
The yearly total payments made to community service organizations under this exemption must not exceed the greater of $75,000, rather than $25,000.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.