Brief Description: Creating a joint select legislative task force to evaluate permitting processes.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water (originally sponsored by Senators Berkey, Swecker, Doumit, Schmidt, Mulliken, Parlette, Keiser, Rasmussen, Haugen and Murray).

Hearing Date: 2/19/04

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

Current law includes numerous provisions related to permits or other approvals required by the state or local governments for specific actions. Permits are issued and administered by state agencies and local governments in accordance with standards and regulatory frameworks established in statute.

A Joint Work Group on Permitting Processes (work group) consisting of select members from the House Local Government Committee and the Fisheries, Ecology and Parks Committee was convened and held meetings during the 2003 legislative interim. The work group discussed and considered improvements to state and local government permitting processes. The work group also recommended several topics for further consideration during the 2004 legislative session, including convening a joint effort between the four legislative caucuses and the Office of the Governor (a five corners process) to improve state and local permitting processes.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature resolves that a joint select legislative task force (task force) be established to evaluate and make recommendations regarding permitting processes. The task force must report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2005. The Legislature resolves also that the task force invite the Governor to join with the task force and form a "Five-Corner Task Force." The task force is to be composed of the chair and ranking minority members of the Senate Land Use and Planning Committee and the House of Representatives Local Government Committee. The Legislature further resolves that a 12-member advisory committee be established to provide assistance [to the task force] upon the request of the task force. The advisory committee must be composed of members or designees from certain state agencies, and representatives from counties, cities, the business community, the environmental community, agriculture, labor, and federally recognized Indian tribes. Staff support must be provided by Senate Committee Services and the House of Representatives Office of Program Research.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.