St. Edward state park

AN ACT Relating to leasing authority of the state parks and 1
recreation commission at St. Edward State Park; and amending RCW 2
79A.05.025 and 79A.05.030. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 79A.05.025 and 2020 c 123 s 1 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) The commission shall elect one of its members as chair. The 7
commission may be convened at such times as the chair deems 8
necessary, and a majority shall constitute a quorum for the 9
transaction of business. 10
(2)(((a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the )) The 11
lease of parkland or property for a period exceeding ((twenty)) 20 12
years requires the affirmative vote of at least five members of the 13
commission. 14
(((b) With the affirmative vote of at least five members of the 15
commission, the commission may enter into a lease for up to sixty-two 16
years for property at Saint Edward state park. The commission may 17
only enter into a lease under the provisions of this subsection 18
(2)(b) if the commission finds that the department of commerce study 19
required by section 3, chapter 103, Laws of 2016 fails to identify an 20
economically viable public or nonprofit use for the property that is 21
Z-0054.2
HOUSE BILL 1024
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Kloba, Duerr, Ryu, Berry, Pollet, and Davis; by
request of Parks and Recreation Commission
Prefiled 12/09/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Environment & Energy.
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consistent with the state parks and recreation commission's mission 1
and could proceed on a reasonable timeline. The lease at Saint Edward 2
state park may only include the following: 3
(i) The main seminary building;4
(ii) The pool building;5
(iii) The gymnasium;6
(iv) The parking lot located in between locations identified in 7
(b)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this subsection;8
(v) The parking lot immediately north of the gymnasium; and9
(vi) Associated property immediately adjacent to the areas listed 10
in (b)(i) through (v) of this subsection.))11
Sec. 2. RCW 79A.05.030 and 2020 c 123 s 2 are each amended to 12
read as follows: 13
The commission shall: 14
(1) Have the care, charge, control, and supervision of all parks 15
and parkways acquired or set aside by the state for park or parkway 16
purposes. 17
(2) Adopt policies, and adopt, issue, and enforce rules 18
pertaining to the use, care, and administration of state parks and 19
parkways. The commission shall cause a copy of the rules to be kept 20
posted in a conspicuous place in every state park to which they are 21
applicable, but failure to post or keep any rule posted shall be no 22
defense to any prosecution for the violation thereof.23
(3) Permit the use of state parks and parkways by the public 24
under such rules as shall be adopted. 25
(4) Clear, drain, grade, seed, and otherwise improve or beautify 26
parks and parkways, and erect structures, buildings, fireplaces, and 27
comfort stations and build and maintain paths, trails, and roadways 28
through or on parks and parkways. 29
(5) Grant concessions or leases in state parks and parkways upon 30
such rentals, fees, or percentage of income or profits and for such 31
terms, in no event longer than ((eighty)) 80 years((, except for a 32
lease associated with land or property described in RCW 33
79A.05.025(2)(b) which may not exceed sixty-two years, )) and upon 34
such conditions as shall be approved by the commission.35
(a) Leases exceeding a ((twenty-year)) 20-year term, or the 36
amendment or modification of these leases, shall require a vote 37
consistent with RCW 79A.05.025(2). 38
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(b) If, during the term of any concession or lease, it is the 1
opinion of the commission that it would be in the best interest of 2
the state, the commission may, with the consent of the concessionaire 3
or lessee, alter and amend the terms and conditions of such 4
concession or lease. 5
(c) Television station leases shall be subject to the provisions 6
of RCW 79A.05.085. 7
(d) The rates of concessions or leases shall be renegotiated at 8
five-year intervals. No concession shall be granted which will 9
prevent the public from having free access to the scenic attractions 10
of any park or parkway. 11
(6) Employ such assistance as it deems necessary. Commission 12
expenses relating to its use of volunteer assistance shall be limited 13
to premiums or assessments for the insurance of volunteers by the 14
department of labor and industries, compensation of staff who assist 15
volunteers, materials and equipment used in authorized volunteer 16
projects, training, reimbursement of volunteer travel as provided in 17
RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, and other reasonable expenses relating 18
to volunteer recognition. The commission, at its discretion, may 19
waive commission fees otherwise applicable to volunteers. The 20
commission shall not use volunteers to replace or supplant classified 21
positions. The use of volunteers may not lead to the elimination of 22
any employees or permanent positions in the bargaining unit.23
(7) By majority vote of its authorized membership, select and 24
purchase or obtain options upon, lease, or otherwise acquire for and 25
in the name of the state such tracts of land, including shore and 26
tide lands, for park and parkway purposes as it deems proper. If the 27
commission cannot acquire any tract at a price it deems reasonable, 28
it may, by majority vote of its authorized membership, obtain title 29
thereto, or any part thereof, by condemnation proceedings conducted 30
by the attorney general as provided for the condemnation of rights-31
of-way for state highways. Option agreements executed under authority 32
of this subsection shall be valid only if: 33
(a) The cost of the option agreement does not exceed one dollar; 34
and 35
(b) Moneys used for the purchase of the option agreement are from 36
(i) funds appropriated therefor, or (ii) funds appropriated for 37
undesignated land acquisitions, or (iii) funds deemed by the 38
commission to be in excess of the amount necessary for the purposes 39
for which they were appropriated; and 40
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(c) The maximum amount payable for the property upon exercise of 1
the option does not exceed the appraised value of the property.2
(8) Cooperate with the United States, or any county or city of 3
this state, in any matter pertaining to the acquisition, development, 4
redevelopment, renovation, care, control, or supervision of any park 5
or parkway, and enter into contracts in writing to that end. All 6
parks or parkways, to which the state contributed or in whose care, 7
control, or supervision the state participated pursuant to the 8
provisions of this section, shall be governed by the provisions 9
hereof. 10
(9) Within allowable resources, maintain policies that increase 11
the number of people who have access to free or low-cost recreational 12
opportunities for physical activity, including noncompetitive 13
physical activity. 14
(10) Adopt rules establishing the requirements for a criminal 15
history record information search for the following: Job applicants, 16
volunteers, and independent contractors who have unsupervised access 17
to children or vulnerable adults, or who will be responsible for 18
collecting or disbursing cash or processing credit/debit card 19
transactions. These background checks will be done through the 20
Washington state patrol criminal identification section and may 21
include a national check from the federal bureau of investigation, 22
which shall be through the submission of fingerprints. A permanent 23
employee of the commission, employed as of July 24, 2005, is exempt 24
from the provisions of this subsection. 25
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