BILL REQ. #: H-3730.1

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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2173
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State of Washington

62nd Legislature

2012 Regular Session

By House State Government & Tribal Affairs (originally sponsored by Representatives Moscoso, Dammeier, Probst, Sells, Jinkins, Stanford, Ryu, Billig, Ladenburg, Hansen, Tharinger, Maxwell, McCoy, Springer, Appleton, Kenney, Miloscia, Roberts, Kirby, Green, Wylie, and Ormsby)

READ FIRST TIME 01/18/12.

AN ACT Relating to implementing lean strategies at state agencies; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1)(a) The legislature recognizes the value to both taxpayers and state government agencies of implementing lean strategies that assist the state in obtaining greater value from its taxpayer investments in government services. The legislature further recognizes the governor's executive order to expand implementation of lean process improvement as a strategy to embed lean into the culture of state agencies. Successful lean implementation involves commitment to agency improvement by agency managers and employees, all of whom contribute to nurturing a problem-solving culture in the agency. It allows a continuous improvement process, involving identification and reduction of waste, to become the norm of the agency. These processes lead to the delivery of effective and efficient services that the public values.
     (b) The legislature also recognizes that implementing lean strategies during economic downturns, when the imperative to do more with less is urgent, can preserve valuable agency services and programs. At the same time, the legislature recognizes that lean strategies are not designed to focus on reducing the workforce. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that lean strategies be used to enhance and preserve quality in state government and not be used as a strategy for reducing the state workforce.
     (2) Implementation of lean strategies in private sector businesses has proven that such strategies assist these businesses to provide smarter, more efficient services. These strategies are also proving to be successful within several state agencies.
     (3) It is the intent of the legislature to encourage additional state agencies to continue and to expand implementation of lean strategies in order to improve customer service and to increase effectiveness and efficiency in delivering state services.

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