Before selling or exchanging the personal property, the department must attempt to discover whether it is needed by another state agency. If not, the law permits the department to sell or exchange the personal property or to donate it to certain shelters for homeless persons. The donated personal property must be used to meet the needs of the homeless persons in the shelter. In rule, the department has adopted a priority list for disposing of personal property belonging to the state. The first priority is sale or transfer to state agencies, including state colleges and universities.
Second priority is sale or transfer to other tax-supported educational agencies.
In addition, another law allows the state and any of its political subdivisions to sell, transfer, exchange, lease, or otherwise dispose of any property to another agency of local, state, or federal government. Any agency belonging to the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government may donate surplus computers and computer-related equipment to school districts and educational service districts. The guidelines will give priority to meeting the computer-related needs of students with disabilities, including disabilities that require the portability of laptop computers. The guidelines will consider issues of quality, need, and accountability, and will be distributed by September 1, 1999. The OSPI may distribute surplus computers and computer-related equipment donated to school districts and educational service districts by state agencies.