(1) The higher education coordinating board may approve applications submitted by local governments for an area's designation as a health sciences and services authority under this chapter. The director shall determine the division to review applications submitted by local governments under this chapter. The application for designation shall be in the form and manner and contain such information as the higher education coordinating board may prescribe, provided the application shall:

     (a) Contain sufficient information to enable the director to determine the viability of the proposal;

     (b) Demonstrate that an ordinance or resolution has been passed by the legislative authority of a local government that delineates the boundaries of an area that may be designated an authority;

     (c) Be submitted on behalf of the local government, or, if that office does not exist, by the legislative body of the local government;

     (d) Demonstrate that the public funds directed to programs or facilities in the authority will leverage private sector resources and contributions to activities to be performed;

     (e) Provide a plan or plans for the development of the authority as an entity to advance as a cluster for health sciences education, health sciences research, biotechnology development, biotechnology product commercialization, and/or health care services; and

     (f) Demonstrate that the state has previously provided funds to health sciences and services programs or facilities in the applicant city, town, or county.

     (2) The director shall determine the division to develop criteria to evaluate the application. The criteria shall include:

     (a) The presence of infrastructure capable of spurring development of the area as a center of health sciences and services;

     (b) The presence of higher education facilities where undergraduate or graduate coursework or research is conducted; and

     (c) The presence of facilities in which health services are provided.

     (3) There shall be no more than one authority statewide.

     (4) An authority may only be created in a county with a population of less than one million persons.

     (5) The director may reject or approve an application. When denying an application, the director must specify the application's deficiencies. The decision regarding such designation as it relates to a specific local government is final; however, a rejected application may be resubmitted.

     (6) Applications are due by December 31, 2007, and must be processed within sixty days of submission.

     (7) The director may, at his or her discretion, amend the boundaries of an authority upon the request of the local government.

     (8) The higher education coordinating board may adopt any rules necessary to implement chapter 251, Laws of 2007 within one hundred twenty days of July 22, 2007.

     (9) The higher education coordinating board must develop evaluation and performance measures in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs in the authorities that are funded with public resources. A report to the legislature shall be due on a biennial basis beginning December 1, 2009. In addition, the higher education coordinating board shall develop evaluation criteria that enables the local governments to measure the effectiveness of the program.

[2007 c 251 § 4.]

NOTES:

     Captions not law -- Severability -- 2007 c 251: See notes following RCW 35.104.010.