(1) The Washington state leadership board is designated a trustee for the state of Washington.

(2) The purpose of the Washington state leadership board is to:

(a) Provide the state a means of extending formal recognition for an individual's outstanding services to the state; and

(b) Expand educational, sports, leadership, and/or employment opportunities for youth, veterans, and people with disabilities in Washington state by administering the following programs:

(i) Washington world fellows;

(ii) Sports mentoring;

(iii) Boundless Washington; and

(iv) Compassion scholars.

(3) The Washington state leadership board may conduct activities in support of their mission.

(4)(a) The Washington state leadership board is governed by a board of directors. The board of directors is composed of the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the secretary of state, who serve as ex officio, nonvoting members, and other officers and members as the Washington state leadership board designates. In addition, four legislators may be appointed to the board of directors as ex officio members in the following manner: One legislator from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, and one legislator from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) The Washington state leadership board shall appoint its executive director with the consent of the lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor may remove an executive director for cause if a majority of the Washington state leadership board votes for removal.

(5) The board of directors shall adopt bylaws and establish governance and transparency policies.

(6) The lieutenant governor's office may provide facilities and administrative support for the Washington state leadership board, where the work of the board aligns with the mission of the office. Assistance from the lieutenant governor's office may include, but is not limited to:

(a) Collaboration with the Washington state leadership board on the Washington world fellows program, a college readiness and study abroad fellowship;

(b) Collaboration with the Washington state leadership board to administer the sports mentoring program as established under RCW 43.388.040, a mentoring program to encourage underserved youth to join sports or otherwise participate in the area of sports. If approved by the board of directors, boundless Washington, an outdoor leadership program for young people with disabilities, shall satisfy the terms of the sports mentoring program; and

(c) The compilation of a yearly financial report, which shall be made available to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than January 15th of each year, detailing all revenues and expenditures associated with the Washington world fellows program and the sports mentoring program.

(7) The legislature may make appropriations in support of the Washington state leadership board subject to the availability of funds.

(8) The Washington state leadership board must post on its website detailed information on all funds received by the board and all expenditures by the board.

Findings—2022 c 96: "The legislature finds that:

(1) The Washington state leadership board has been a nonprofit organization with significant, vested interest in the improvement of Washington state through their service and dedication to marginalized students and their ability to bestow honors on behalf of the state.

(2) There has been a lack of substantive extracurricular activities for historically marginalized students in Washington state to be involved in, and the Washington state leadership board has created equitable and accessible programs for marginalized students to succeed. The Washington state leadership board bridges the gap between student accessibility and student achievement by utilizing public and private funds to create three unique programs for marginalized students: The Washington world fellows program, boundless Washington program, and compassion scholars program.

(3) The Washington world fellows program is a global leadership development program that provides students who may lack access with training that enhances high school academics, supports their trajectory into college, and establishes strong leadership traits. The program includes college preparation through research, mentoring, and preparation for college entrance exams, including the opportunity for students to participate in a global leadership exchange experience.

(4) The boundless Washington program provides an opportunity for students with physical and sensory disabilities to develop leadership skills through the outdoors. Students with physical and sensory disabilities explore the outdoors through immersive excursions that students learn about through online curriculum and practice through outdoor activities with peers.

(5) The compassion scholars program creates life-changing compassion scholars' excursions, with a delegation that includes students, elected officials, and community leaders, that focus on highlighting for high school students the positive work of public servants that have dedicated themselves to improving their community.

(6) The Washington state leadership board has bestowed honors like the Washingtonian of the year and the organization of the year on behalf of the state for over 45 years." [ 2022 c 96 § 1.]

Effective date—2022 c 96: "This act takes effect July 1, 2022." [ 2022 c 96 § 10.]

Effective date—2021 c 176: See note following RCW 24.03A.005.

Effective date—2020 c 114: See note following RCW 28A.175.075.

(1) The Washington state leadership board account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from appropriations must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes of this chapter.

(2)(a) The Washington state leadership board special license plate account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from special license plate disposition under RCW 46.68.420 must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes of this chapter. Only the executive director of the Washington state leadership board or the executive director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to the allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

(b) The Washington state leadership board special license plate account may accept gifts, grants, or endowments from public and private sources that are made in trust or otherwise for the use and benefit of the purposes of this chapter.

Findings—Effective date—2022 c 96: See notes following RCW 43.388.010.

The Washington state leadership board may use the image of the Washington state flag to promote the mission of the organization as set forth under *RCW 43.15.030. The board retains any revenue generated by the use of the image, when the usage is consistent with the purposes under *RCW 43.15.030.

*Reviser's note: RCW 43.15.030 was recodified as RCW 43.388.010 pursuant to 2022 c 96 § 8.

Effective date—2020 c 114: See note following RCW 28A.175.075.

(1) The sports mentoring program is established to enable eligible nonprofit community-based organizations to provide opportunities for underserved youth to join sports teams or otherwise participate in the area of sports. The goal of the program is to support youth in building self-confidence, developing skills in the areas of goal setting and collaboration, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through forming positive relationships with peers and family, avoiding risky or delinquent behavior, and achieving educational success. Proceeds from the Seattle Mariners special license plate, issued under RCW 46.18.200, must be deposited into the Seattle Mariners account in accordance with RCW 46.68.420. Funds in the account may only be used, except as provided under RCW 46.68.420(6), for grants to support youth to stay in school, participate in sports, and receive mentorships.

(2) The Washington state leadership board may issue competitive grants to eligible organizations. The following criteria must be used to prioritize applications:

(a) Services provided by the organization to program participants are provided without a fee;

(b) Eligible organizations must assist children with enrolling in sports through their parents, guardians, or coach; and

(c) Eligible organizations must provide professional staff support to the mentor, child, and parent.

(3) Eligible organizations must meet the following requirements:

(a) Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization;

(b) Conduct national criminal background checks for all employees and volunteer mentors who work with children;

(c) Have adopted standards for care including staff training, health and safety standards, and mechanisms for assessing and enforcing the program's compliance with the standards adopted;

(d) Ensure that sixty percent or more of the children they serve are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch;

(e) Provide free, direct services to children through volunteer mentoring; and

(f) Provide professional oversight of all mentoring relationships for each child served.

Findings—Effective date—2022 c 96: See notes following RCW 43.388.010.

Effective date—2018 c 67 §§ 3-8: "Sections 3 through 8 of this act take effect January 1, 2019." [ 2018 c 67 § 9.]