Z-1599.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2871

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By Representatives R. Meyers, Ballard, Kremen, Moak, Roland, Chappell, Jones, Rayburn, Dorn, Sheldon, L. Johnson, Eide, Campbell, Finkbeiner, Conway, Springer, Karahalios, Johanson, Ogden, Patterson, Kessler, Orr, Basich and Anderson; by request of Secretary of State

Read first time 01/26/94.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Establishing a question period with the house of representatives for elected officials and agency directors.

    AN ACT Relating to the legislative process; and adding a new chapter to Title 44 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature recognizes in parliamentary forms of government the contribution of the device of "question period" in fostering constructive debate and communication within that system between the ministers who are responsible for the administration of the departments and bureaus of the government and the remainder of the legislative body.  It is the intent of the legislature by this chapter to provide a similar interchange of information between the members of the house of representatives and the elected officials, agency directors, and others in the executive branch who are responsible for the implementation of the laws of this state.  The legislature also believes that this interaction will better inform the public about the operations of state government and the functions of developing and implementing public policy.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  During the regular legislative session in each odd-numbered year, the house of representatives shall dissolve into a committee of the whole for the purpose of receiving reports by elected officials, appointed heads of agencies, or representatives of multimember boards or commissions and examining these officials about the conduct of the statutory responsibilities of their respective agencies.  An agency shall be requested to report on its statutory operations and respond to questions from members of the house of representatives under this chapter if at least one-fourth of the members of each caucus agree to the request.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  Under appropriate rules of the house of representatives, caucuses or members shall specify any specific subjects about which members intend to inquire in connection with the report of that agency.  Following the report by the agency to the committee of the whole, any member of the house of representatives may, subject to the rules of the house of representatives adopted under section 7 of this act, freely inquire about those subjects for which prior notice has been provided to the agency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  The speaker of the house of representatives shall arrange for a date and time at which the house of representatives will receive the report regarding the operations of an agency and provide the agency with adequate prior notice of the subjects about which the members of the house of representatives intend to inquire in connection with that agency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  (1) For any agency the head of which is directly responsible to the governor or to another state elected official, the governor or that official may decline to permit the attendance of any representative of that agency before the committee of the whole or may designate any other person to attend and report on behalf of that agency in place of the person to whom the request was directed under section 4 of this act.

    (2) For any agency the head of which is directly responsible to the governor or to another state elected official, the governor or that official may designate any other person or persons in addition to the person to whom the request was directed under section 4 of this act to attend and respond on behalf of that agency to specific subjects about which notice has been given under section 4 of this act.

    (3) If an official declines to attend the committee of the whole at the date and time requested by the speaker of the house of representatives or refuses to respond to specific subjects about which prior notice was provided under section 4 of this act, the house of representatives may initiate a proceeding under chapter 44.16 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  Full transcripts of any proceedings conducted under this chapter shall be included as part of the official journal of the house of representatives.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  The house of representatives shall provide procedures in its rules for determining which agencies shall be requested to report under this chapter and respond to inquiries by the members, which officials shall represent an agency, the subjects about which the agency shall be requested to provide information, the time to be provided for respective agencies to report and respond to inquiries from the members, and any limitations on the conduct of the committee of the whole under this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.  Sections 1 through 7 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 44 RCW.

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