(1) The authority must be governed by a board of directors. The board of directors must consist of:

(a) Two members and two alternates from the house of representatives, with one member and one alternate appointed from each of the two major caucuses of the house of representatives by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(b) Two members and two alternates from the senate, with one member and one alternate appointed from each of the two major caucuses of the senate by the president of the senate; and

(c) Nine representatives with expertise in the tourism industry and related businesses including, but not limited to, hotel, restaurant, outdoor recreation, attractions, retail, and rental car businesses appointed by the governor.

Appointments by the governor must reflect diversity in geography, size of business, gender, and ethnicity. No county may have more than two appointments and no city may have more than one appointment.

(2) There must be a nonvoting advisory committee to the board. The advisory committee must consist of:

(a) One ex officio representative from the department, state parks and recreation commission, department of transportation, and other state agencies as the authority deems appropriate; and

(b) One member from a federally recognized Indian tribe appointed by the director of the department.

(3) All appointments must be for four years.

(4) The board must select from its membership the chair of the board and such other officers as it deems appropriate. The chair of the board must be a member from the tourism industry or related businesses.

(5) A majority of the board constitutes a quorum.

(6) The board must create its own bylaws in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington.

(7) Any member of the board may be removed for misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty after notice and a public hearing, unless the notice and hearing are expressly waived in writing by the affected member.

(8) If a vacancy occurs on the board, a replacement must be appointed for the unexpired term.

(9) The members of the board serve without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement, solely from the funds of the authority, for expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.

(10) The board must meet at least quarterly.

(11) No board member of the authority may serve on the board of an organization that could be considered for a contract authorized under RCW 43.384.050.

Finding—Intent—2025 c 189: "The legislature finds that the tourism industry is the fourth largest economic sector in the state, generating approximately $23.9 billion in annual revenue and employing more than 230,000 direct and induced jobs. Industry data estimates that every dollar a tourist spends generates $1.36 in additional economic impact. In 2018, the legislature created a state-funded tourism marketing program. During the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium, the Washington tourism marketing authority was funded with $4,500,000 per fiscal year. This is significantly less than competitive states. The Washington tourism marketing authority contracts with state of Washington tourism to implement the state tourism program, the results of which have been documented to draw $29 in visitor expenditures for every $1 invested and $3 in state and local tax revenue for every $1 invested.

Therefore, the legislature intends to solicit recommendations to evaluate an industry self-supported assessment to ensure a dedicated and sustainable funding mechanism for statewide tourism promotion and management." [ 2025 c 189 s 1.]