Washington HB 1595: Creating a five-year statewide economic development plan.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to a five-year statewide economic development 1
plan; adding a new section to chapter 43.330 RCW; providing an 2
effective date; and declaring an emergency.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.330 5
RCW to read as follows:6
(1) An advisory committee for a five-year statewide economic 7
development plan is established with at least 16 members, who must 8
reflect the geographic, racial, and ethnic diversity of the state and 9
be inclusive of historically marginalized communities. The advisory 10
committee may be expanded to add additional representatives to 11
include emerging or rapidly growing economic sectors. These 12
representatives may be added on an as-needed basis, as determined by 13
the director, to ensure comprehensive and adaptive representation of 14
key economic drivers essential to the state's long-term economic 15
development. The advisory committee must include:16
(a) One representative from the department's office of economic 17
development and competitiveness, who shall be appointed by the 18
director and serve as chair;19
(b) Two representatives and two senators, representing each of 20
the four caucuses;21
H-1442.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1595
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans (originally
sponsored by Representatives Ryu, Volz, Eslick, Reeves, Shavers,
Zahn, Pollet, Reed, Nance, Kloba, and Barnard)
READ FIRST TIME 02/17/25.
p. 1 SHB 1595

(c) One representative of the governor's office;1
(d) The director of the workforce training and education 2
coordinating board, as provided in RCW 28C.18.020, or the director's 3
designee;4
(e) The director of the department of ecology, as provided in RCW 5
43.21A.050, or the director's designee; and6
(f) At least eight representatives appointed by the director, 7
representing an associate development organization, port, labor 8
council, research institution, the department's office of tribal 9
relations, the department's small business resiliency network, and 10
industry associations representing key economic sectors including 11
retail, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality and 12
tourism.13
(2) The members of the advisory committee may be reimbursed for 14
travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.15
(3) The members of the advisory committee shall serve two-year 16
terms and may be reappointed.17
(4) The department must convene an advisory committee every five 18
years, beginning in 2025, to:19
(a) Provide guidance to the department identifying priorities and 20
recommendations for a five-year statewide economic development plan;21
(b) Meet at least three times during the first plan development 22
year, and quarterly in the first plan development year for updated 23
plans;24
(c) Hold at least four public meetings in different regions of 25
the state to solicit input on the priorities and recommendations 26
during the plan development year;27
(d) Advise the department on policy recommendations to implement 28
the five-year economic development plan; and29
(e) Review and provide guidance on recommended legislation to 30
implement the five-year economic development plan priorities within 31
one year after the proposal under subsection (7) of this section is 32
provided.33
(5) The advisory committee must be staffed by the department.34
(6) The department must consult with the following for feedback 35
on the criteria and content of the five-year statewide economic 36
development plan prior to the third meeting of the advisory 37
committee:38
(a) The state commission on Hispanic affairs, created in chapter 39
43.115 RCW;40
p. 2 SHB 1595

(b) The commission on African American affairs, created in 1
chapter 43.113 RCW;2
(c) The state commission on Asian Pacific American affairs, 3
created in chapter 43.117 RCW;4
(d) The women's commission, created in chapter 43.119 RCW;5
(e) The office of minority and women's business enterprises, 6
created in chapter 39.19 RCW; and7
(f) The employment security department, created in Title 50 RCW.8
(7) The department must use the advisory committee's guidance and 9
recommendations, public input, and commission and agency 10
consultations to develop a final proposal for a five-year statewide 11
economic development plan. The proposal must include long-term goals 12
and measurable benchmarks. The department must provide the first 13
proposal with recommended legislation to the appropriate committees 14
of the legislature and the governor by November 30, 2025. The 15
department must provide updated proposals every five years 16
thereafter.17
(8) The department must provide recommended legislation, if any, 18
to implement the five-year statewide economic development plan by 19
June 30, 2026, and every five years thereafter.20
(9) The department must provide a progress report on 21
implementation of the five-year statewi