Social equity land trust

AN ACT Relating to creating the children's social equity land 1
trust; amending RCW 79.02.010; reenacting and amending RCW 79.64.110; 2
adding a new section to chapter 43.31 RCW; and adding a new chapter 3
to Title 79 RCW. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that access to 6
affordable child care increases economic growth and labor force 7
participation because too many working parents are forced to reduce 8
their hours, decline promotional opportunities, or leave the 9
workforce completely due to a lack of affordable and appropriate 10
child care. This has, and continues to, disproportionately impact 11
working-age mothers and contributes to the gender pay gap. The 12
legislature recognizes that high quality, inclusive child care can 13
reduce the opportunity gap for low-income children and black, 14
indigenous, and children of color while consistently improving 15
outcomes for all children both inside and outside of the classroom.16
(2) The legislature acknowledges that in 2019, the Washington 17
state child care collaborative task force found that 49 percent of 18
parents in the state found it difficult or very difficult to find, 19
afford, and keep child care. The lack of child care was projected to 20
cost the state $2,080,000,000 in the direct cost of turnover and 21
H-0065.2
HOUSE BILL 1593
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Reeves, Berg, and Parshley
Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on Agriculture &
Natural Resources.
p. 1 HB 1593
missed work due to child care issues, with a total estimate of 1
$6,500,000,000 in direct and opportunity costs due to employee child 2
care issues. The legislature further finds that for over the past 3
decade, the trend has been in the wrong direction, between 2010 and 4
2023, the state has seen a decrease of 2,000 family child care 5
providers and 300 centers, contributing to an increase in child care 6
deserts statewide. Child care deserts are most often in communities 7
that struggle with health and economic disparities. Not having access 8
to affordable child care is a further detriment that perpetuates 9
cycles of poverty and inequities. 10
(3) The legislature further finds that sustainably managed 11
forests enhance carbon sequestration and reduce the amount of 12
atmospheric carbon dioxide. Sustainably managed forests can also 13
provide a stream of revenue to support new and existing child care 14
resources in the areas of greatest need in the state.15
(4) Accordingly, the legislature intends to create a permanent 16
children's social equity land trust that will utilize the trust 17
management expertise of the department of natural resources to 18
deliver much needed revenue for child care programs while 19
prioritizing funding for child care deserts to assist families with 20
access to child care where the need is greatest. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department is authorized to locate 22
and acquire by gift or by purchase forested lands suitable to manage 23
for the purpose of revenue production. Acquisition by purchase of 24
these lands must be at no more than fair market value. In acquiring 25
lands pursuant to this section, the department may acquire only 26
forested lands at risk of conversion to nonforested uses. Any lands 27
purchased pursuant to this section must be located so as to be able 28
to be economically administered for commercial forestry.29
(2) Lands acquired pursuant to this section must be held in trust 30
for the benefit of the families in need of child care access, in 31
child care deserts and overburdened communities, and revenue derived 32
from these lands must be expended to provide child care grants 33
authorized under section 6 of this act. 34
(3) The department shall manage, care for, and protect these 35
lands for the purpose of revenue generation for child care grants to 36
be awarded by the department of commerce under section 6 of this act.37
(4) To the extent consistent with the requirements of this 38
chapter, the department shall manage lands acquired pursuant to this 39
p. 2 HB 1593
section in compliance with policies established by the board and with 1
the procedures that govern the department's management of other 2
forested lands. 3
(5) To the extent consistent with the requirements of this 4
chapter, the department may manage the lands acquired pursuant to 5
this section in the same manner that it manages other state lands 6
with regard to leasing, contracting, licensing, permitting, and 7
granting easements and rights-of-way. 8
(6) With the approval of the board, the department may sell lands 9
acquired pursuant to this section in the same manner as other state 10
lands. Any revenue derived from any sale of lands acquired pursuant 11
to this section shall be deposited in the child care trust account 12
created in section 3 of this act. 13
(7) The department may sell valuable materials from these lands 14
in the same manner and purposes as the department is authorized to 15
sell valuable materials from other state lands. 16
(8) Following the deduction provided in RCW 79.64.110, revenue 17
generated from activities on these lands, including the revenue 18
derived from the sale of timber or other valuable materials from 19
lands acquired pursuant to this section must be deposited in the 20
child care trust account created in section 3 of this act.21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The child care trust account is created in 22
the state treasury. Subject to the deduction identified in RCW 23
79.64.110, revenue generated from activities on these lands, 24
including revenue derived from the management of lands described in 25
section 2 of this act, must be deposited into the account. Moneys in 26
the account may be spent only after appropriation and may be used 27
only for the grant program authorized in section 6 of this act.28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Revenue derived from all leases, sales, 29
contracts, licenses, permits, easements, and rights-of-way, on lands 30
acquired pursuant to section 2 of this act are subject to the 31
deduction in RCW 79.64.110 to cover the costs incurred by the 32
department in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. In the event 33
that the department sells logs using the contract harvesting process 34
described in RCW 79.15.500 through 79.15.530, the moneys received 35
subject to this section are the net proceeds from the contract 36
harvesting sale.37
p. 3 HB 1593
Sec. 5. RCW 79.64.110 and 2023 c 475 s 944 and 2023 c 383 s 8 1
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 2
(1) Any moneys derived from the lease of state forestlands or 3
from the sale of valuable materials, oils, gases, coal, minerals, or 4
fossils from those lands, except as provided in RCW 79.64.130, or the 5
appraised value of these resources when transferred to a public 6
agency under RCW 79.22.060, must be distributed as follows:7
(a) For state forestlands acquired through RCW 79.22.040 or by 8
exchange or as replacement for lands acquired through RCW 79.22.040:9
(i) The expense incurred by the state for administration, 10
reforestation, and protection, not to exceed 25 percent, which rate 11
of percentage shall be determined by the board, must be returned to 12
the forest development account created in RCW 79.64.100. During the 13
2017-2019, 2019-2021, 2021-2023, and 2023-2025 fiscal biennia, the 14
board may increase the 25 percent limitation up to 27 percent.15
(ii) Any balance remaining must be paid to the county in which 16
the land is located or, if the land acquired under RCW 79.22.040 was 17
exchanged, transferred, or disposed, payment must be made to the 18
county from which the land was exchanged, transferred, or disposed. 19
For counties participating in a land pool created under RCW 20
79.22.140, to each participating county proportionate to its 21
contribution of asset value to the land pool as determined by the 22
board. Payments made under this subsection are to be paid, 23
distributed, and prorated to the various funds in the same manner as 24
general taxes are paid and distributed during the year of payment. 25
However, a county may in its discretion pay, distribute, and prorate 26
payments made under this subsection of moneys derived from state 27
forestlands acquired by exchange or as replacement lands, for lands 28
acquired through RCW 79.22.040, in the same manner as general taxes 29
are paid and distributed during the year of payment for the former 30
state forestlands that were subject to the exchange.31
(iii) Any balance remaining, paid to a county with a population 32
of less than 16,000, must first be applied to the reduction of any 33
indebtedness existing in the current expense fund of the county 34
during the year of payment. 35
(iv) With regard to moneys remaining under this subsection 36
(1)(a), within seven working days of receipt of these moneys, the 37
department shall certify to the state treasurer the amounts to be 38
distributed to the counties. The state treasurer shall distribute 39
p. 4 HB 1593
funds to the counties four times per month, with no more than 10 days 1
between each payment date. 2
(b) For state forestlands acquired through RCW 79.22.010 or by 3
exchange or as replacement lands for lands acquired through RCW 4
79.22.010, except as provided in RCW 79.64.120: 5
(i) Fifty percent shall be placed in the forest development 6
account. 7
(ii) Fifty percent shall be prorated and distributed to the state 8
general fund, to be dedicated for the benefit of the public schools, 9
to the county in which the land is located or, for counties 10
participating in a land pool created under RCW 79.22.140, to each 11
participating county proportionate to its contribution of asset value 12
to the land pool as determined by the board, and according to the 13
relative proportions of tax levies of all taxing districts in the 14
county. The portion to be distributed to the state general fund shall 15
be based on the regular school levy rate under RCW 84.52.065 (1) and 16
(2) and the levy rate for any school district enrichment levies. With 17
regard to the portion to be distributed to the counties, the 18
department shall certify to the state treasurer the amounts to be 19
distributed within seven working days of receipt of the money. The 20
state treasurer shall distribute funds to the counties four times per 21
month, with no more than 10 days between each payment date. The money 22
distributed to the county must be paid, distributed, and prorated to 23
the various other funds in the same manner as general taxes are paid 24
and distributed during the year of payment. 25
(c) For state forestlands acquired under chapter 79.--- RCW (the 26
new chapter created in section 8 of this act) or by exchange or as 27
replacement lands for lands acquired under chapter 79.--- RCW (the 28
new chapter created in section 8 of this act):29
(i) 30 percent must be placed in the forest development account 30
created in RCW 79.64.100; and31
(ii) 70 percent must be placed in the child care trust account 32
created in section 3 of this act.33
(2) A school district may transfer amounts deposited in its debt 34
service fund pursuant to this section into its capital projects fund 35
as authorized in RCW 28A.320.330. 36
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 43.31 37
RCW to read as follows: 38
p. 5 HB 1593
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 1
specific purpose, the department of commerce shall establish a grant 2
program to retain and expand child care in child care deserts and 3
overburdened communities. Grants may be used for one-time costs 4
associated with the opening of a child care site, including program 5
costs, for providers who are newly licensed or are in the process of 6
becoming licensed, or for supporting established child care sites 7
that are in jeopardy of closure due to financial reasons.8
(2) In awarding grants, the department of commerce must 9
prioritize applications in a manner that supports racial equity 10
across the state and must also prioritize applications that include 11
funding for one or more of the following purposes:12
(a) Personnel costs, including compensation, benefits, health 13
care premium pay, or paid leave; 14
(b) Rent or mortgage payments; 15
(c) Copayment or tuition waivers for families receiving care, 16
including refunds or credits to families who are not attending but 17
are paying tuition in order to maintain a child's spot in the 18
facility; 19
(d) Child care for historically disadvantaged populations;20
(e) Child care during nonstandard hours and periods of the year;21
(f) Outreach to families who may have stopped attending due to 22
cost; and 23
(g) Mental health supports for children and employees.24
(3) In addition to other indicators identified by the department 25
of commerce, the department may use the child care industry insights 26
dashboard from the child care industry assessment as a tool to 27
identify areas in which additional investments are needed in order to 28
expand existing child care capacity to meet family demand and reduce 29
child care deserts. 30
Sec. 7. RCW 79.02.010 and 2018 c 258 s 1 are each amended to 31
read as follows: 32
The definitions in this section apply throughout this title 33
unless the context clearly requires otherwise. 34
(1) "Aquatic lands" means all state-owned tidelands, shorelands, 35
harbor areas, and the beds of navigable waters as defined in RCW 36
79.105.060 that are administered by the department.37
(2) "Board" means the board of natural resources.38
p. 6 HB 1593
(3) "Child care desert" means a zip code identified by the 1
department of children, youth, and families as an extreme child care 2
access desert.3
(4) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public lands.4
(((4))) (5) "Community and technical college forest reserve 5
lands" means lands managed under RCW 79.02.420. 6
(((5))) (6) "Community forest trust lands" means those lands 7
acquired and managed under the provisions of chapter 79.155 RCW.8
(((6))) (7) "Department" means the department of natural 9
resources. 10
(((7))) (8)(a) "Forest biomass" means the by-products of: Current 11
forest management activities; current forest protection treatments 12
prescribed or permitted under chapter 76.04 RCW; or the by-products 13
of forest health treatment prescribed or permitted under chapter 14
76.06 RCW. 15
(b) "Forest biomass" does not include wood pieces that have been 16
treated with chemical preservatives such as: Creosote, 17
pentachlorophenol, or copper-chrome-arsenic; wood from existing old 18
growth forests; wood required to be left on-site under chapter 76.09 19
RCW, the state forest practices act; and implementing rules, and 20
other legal and contractual requirements; or municipal solid waste.21
(((8))) (9) "Good neighbor agreement" means an agreement entered 22
into between the state and the United States forest service or United 23
States bureau of land management to conduct forestland, watershed, 24
and rangeland restoration activities on federal lands, as originally 25
authorized by the 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79). 26
(((9))) (10) "Improvements" means anything considered a fixture 27
in law placed upon or attached to lands administered by the 28
department that has changed the value of the lands or any changes in 29
the previous condition of the fixtures that changes the value of the 30
lands. 31
(((10))) (11) "Land bank lands" means lands acquired under RCW 32
79.19.020. 33
(((11))) (12) "Overburdened communities" has the same meaning as 34
in RCW 70A.02.010.35
(13) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, 36
association, organization, cooperative, public or municipal 37
corporation, or agency of a federal, state, or local governmental 38
unit, however designated. 39
p. 7 HB 1593
(((12))) (14) "Public lands" means lands of the state of 1
Washington administered by the department including but not limited 2
to state lands, state forestlands, lands included in a state 3
forestland pool, and aquatic lands. 4
(((13))) (15) "State forestland pool" or "land pool" means state 5
forestlands acquired and managed under RCW 79.22.140.6
(((14))) (16) "State forestlands" means lands acquired under RCW 7
79.22.010, 79.22.040, and 79.22.020. 8
(((15))) (17) "State lands" includes: 9
(a) School lands, that is, lands held in trust for the support of 10
the common schools; 11
(b) University lands, that is, lands held in trust for university 12
purposes; 13
(c) Agricultural college lands, that is, lands held in trust for 14
the use and support of agricultural colleges; 15
(d) Scientific school lands, that is, lands held in trust for the 16
establishment and maintenance of a scientific school;17
(e) Normal school lands, that is, lands held in trust for state 18
normal schools; 19
(f) Capitol building lands, that is, lands held in trust for the 20
purpose of erecting public buildings at the state capital for 21
legislative, executive, and judicial purposes; 22
(g) Institutional lands, that is, lands held in trust for state 23
charitable, educational, penal, and reformatory institutions; ((and))24
(h) Land bank, escheat, donations, and all other lands, except 25
aquatic lands, administered by the department that are not devoted to 26
or reserved for a particular use by law; and27
(i) Lands held in the child care trust established in chapter 28
79.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 8 of this act).29
(((16))) (18) "Valuable materials" means any product or material 30
on the lands, such as forest products, forage or agricultural crops, 31
stone, gravel, sand, peat, and all other materials of value except: 32
(a) Mineral, coal, petroleum, and gas as provided for under chapter 33
79.14 RCW; and (b) forest biomass as provided for under chapter 34
79.150 RCW. 35
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 4 of this act 36
constitute a new chapter in Title 79 RCW.37
--- END ---
p. 8 HB 1593