H-1415.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1899
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By Representatives Cothern, H. Myers, Horn, Eide, Edmondson, Finkbeiner, Jones, Holm, Lemmon, Orr, Roland and L. Johnson
Read first time 02/15/93. Referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.
AN ACT Relating to the review of environmental protection and land laws; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that it has been ten years since the state's environmental protection act has been reviewed. Since that time the legislature has enacted the growth management act and numerous other environmental protection laws. A comprehensive review of the state environmental policy act of 1971, the growth management acts, and related laws is now necessary to reduce areas of potential duplication, to provide for regulatory streamlining, to ensure effective environmental protection, and to provide greater certainty and efficiency in development decisions. The state's growth management acts can provide an integrating framework to ensure that land use and environmental protection are effectively linked.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is established the commission on environmental regulatory streamlining which shall be composed as follows: Four members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, including two members from each caucus; four members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including two members from each caucus; and the following members appointed by the governor: Two representatives of industry; two representatives of the environmental community; one representative of cities; one representative of counties; and one public member who shall serve as chairperson.
Nonlegislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. Legislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 44.04.120.
The commission shall:
(1) Review the key relationships and areas of overlap between the state's central environmental and land use laws including but not limited to the state environmental policy act, growth management acts, shorelines management act of 1971, and water resource and conservation laws. The commission shall develop recommendations that maintain the state's high standards of environmental protection while integrating and streamlining laws that have similar purposes. The commission shall address issues of the additive effect and cost of regulation, the lack of consistent environmental and land use standards, and potential gaps in environmental protection;
(2) Appoint members of an advisory committee to advise the commission in the performance of its duties. The membership of the advisory committee shall be fairly balanced in terms of the points of view and interests represented and shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of business, environment, labor, academia, the public at-large, and different geographic regions of the state. Members of the committee shall serve without compensation;
(3) Utilize legislative staff assistance which shall be provided by the appropriate legislative committees and conduct such studies as are necessary for the performance of its duties. State agencies may assign to the commission such personnel as are necessary to assist the commission in the performance of its duties. These personnel shall be used to the maximum extent practicable;
(4) Hold public hearings to ensure early and meaningful input and involvement in the commission's work;
(5) Review and recommend model state or local processes, regulations, or ordinances that provide integrated and streamlined land use management and environmental protection; and
(6) Issue a final report prior to the 1995 regular session.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The commission shall expire on July 1, 1995.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the commission on environmental regulatory streamlining to carry out the purposes of this act. This amount shall be matched by other private and public sector donations.
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