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and the costs of conducting mandatory recounts on state measures. 1 Counties shall be reimbursed only for those costs that the secretary 2 of state validates as eligible for reimbursement. 3 (2)(a) $3,051,500 of the general fund—state appropriation for 4 fiscal year 2022 and $3,051,500 of the general fund—state 5 appropriation for fiscal year 2023 are provided solely for 6 contracting with a nonprofit organization to produce gavel-to-gavel 7 television coverage of state government deliberations and other 8 events of statewide significance during the 2021-2023 fiscal 9 biennium. The funding level for each year of the contract shall be 10 based on the amount provided in this subsection. The nonprofit 11 organization shall be required to raise contributions or commitments 12 to make contributions, in cash or in kind, in an amount equal to 13 forty percent of the state contribution. The office of the secretary 14 of state may make full or partial payment once all criteria in this 15 subsection have been satisfactorily documented. 16 (b) The legislature finds that the commitment of on-going funding 17 is necessary to ensure continuous, autonomous, and independent 18 coverage of public affairs. For that purpose, the secretary of state 19 shall enter into a contract with the nonprofit organization to 20 provide public affairs coverage. 21 (c) The nonprofit organization shall prepare an annual 22 independent audit, an annual financial statement, and an annual 23 report, including benchmarks that measure the success of the 24 nonprofit organization in meeting the intent of the program. 25 (d) No portion of any amounts disbursed pursuant to this 26 subsection may be used, directly or indirectly, for any of the 27 following purposes: 28 (i) Attempting to influence the passage or defeat of any 29 legislation by the legislature of the state of Washington, by any 30 county, city, town, or other political subdivision of the state of 31 Washington, or by the congress, or the adoption or rejection of any 32 rule, standard, rate, or other legislative enactment of any state 33 agency; 34 (ii) Making contributions reportable under chapter 42.17 RCW; or 35 (iii) Providing any: (A) Gift; (B) honoraria; or (C) travel, 36 lodging, meals, or entertainment to a public officer or employee. 37 (3) Any reductions to funding for the Washington talking book and 38 Braille library may not exceed in proportion any reductions taken to 39 the funding for the library as a whole. 40 p. 732 ESSB 5187.SL