SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5818
As of February 23, 2001
Title: An act relating to reports to the legislature.
Brief Description: Eliminating certain reports to the legislature and the governor.
Sponsors: Senators Patterson and McDonald; by request of Office of Financial Management.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State & Local Government: 2/26/01.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Staff: Aaron Jennings (786‑7445)
Background: Rule Making: When an agency adopts a significant legislative rule, it must provide the Business Assistance Center a list citing other federal or state laws that regulate the same activity or subject matter as the agency=s rule. The Office of Financial Management (OFM) must biannually report to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the effects of the rule making requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act on the regulatory system of the state.
The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): DSHS must report annually to the Legislature, the amount of debt owed to the department that has accrued during the last five years, and the amount of debt written off by the department in the last five years.
Saving Incentive Account: The savings incentive program allows agencies to keep a portion of state general fund appropriations that it did not spend. OFM must annually make a report evaluating the savings incentive program. OFM submits the report to the fiscal committees of the Legislature.
Agency Operating Expenditures: OFM is to monitor agency operating expenditures. OFM must make sure that the expenditure comply with any limits set by the Legislature. OFM must provide the Legislature quarterly explanations of major variances from those limits.
Birth Control for Chemically Dependant Persons: DSHS must provide birth control services, information, and counseling to persons entering chemical dependency treatment. DSHS must annually report to the Governor and the Legislature the number of women who receive tubal ligations, decline to undergo surgery, obtain pharmaceutical birth control by type, and report to the department.
Timber: The Department of Revenue and Department of Natural Resources must annually report to the Legislature information relating to the status of timber land grading in the state, the distribution and allocation of the timber excise tax revenues, and other relevant information.
The Washington Department of Agriculture: The Department of Agriculture must annually report to the Legislature activities the agency undertakes relating to pesticides.
Boards and Commissions: The Governor, must every odd-numbered year, submit to the Legislature a report recommending which state boards and commissions should be eliminated.
State Boards, Commissions, Councils, and Committees: OFM biannually must submit a report to the Legislature listing all state boards, commissions, councils and committees; along with the functions of the group, the group=s legal authority, the number of members, the number of meetings held by the group in the preceding biennium, and the total cost of operating the group.
Mental Health Programs for Children: OFM annually must submit a report with an inventory of all state or federally funded programs providing mental health services to children.
Rental Cars: Every odd number year the Department of Licensing must submit to the Legislature an estimate of the rental car tax revenues.
Summary of Bill: Several agencies no longer have to submit annual or biannual reports to the Legislature for certain issues. (1) OFM no longer must submit reports relating to rulemaking, the savings incentive program, agency operating expenditures, state boards, commissions, councils and committees, and mental health programs for children. (2) DSHS no longer needs to submit reports relating to debt owed to the DSHS, and birth control for chemically dependant women. (3) The Department of Revenue and the Department of Natural Resources no longer need to submit a report relating to timber. (4) the Department of Agriculture no longer must submit reports relating to pesticides. (5) The Governor no longer must make recommendations to the Legislature relating to the removal of state boards and commissions. (6) The Department of Licensing no longer must submit a report on rental car tax revenues. Further, agencies no longer need to submit a report to the business center relating to new rules.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.