Bill > SB5229

This bill aims to accelerate rural job growth and promote economic recovery across Washington through site readiness grants. The key provisions include: 1. Allowing the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) to provide grants to political subdivisions and federally recognized Indian tribes for site-specific plans, studies, and analyses related to environmental impacts, capital facilities, land use, permitting, feasibility, marketing, project engineering, design, site planning, costs of achieving site readiness, and project debt and revenue impacts. After December 31, 2028, these grants may not exceed $200,000. 2. Expanding the biennial outcome-based evaluations of the CERB's financial assistance to include additional information, such as the number and types of businesses assisted by funded projects, the transportation infrastructure available for completed projects, and the use of certified minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. The bill aims to support site readiness and pre-development work to provide businesses with more predictability and certainty when choosing to locate in Washington communities, particularly in rural areas that have struggled to recover from recent economic and public health crises.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5229&Year=2023&Initiative=false