BILL REQ. #:  H-3025.1 

Read first time 01/16/12.   Referred to Committee on Local Government.

     AN ACT Relating to documents used in complying with the growth management act; amending RCW 36.70A.290; adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) State agencies, counties, and cities must identify the authors, including their professional and academic credentials, of documents created after the effective date of this section by the agency, county, or city in complying with this chapter. The author and credential information may be included within the document or posted on the official web site of the agency, county, or city.
     (b) For purposes of this section, "document" means reports, analyses, guidance, and any other form of written scientific findings or information.
     (2) If the agency, county, or city fails to comply with subsection (1) of this section, the applicable document or documents may not be included in a record submitted to the growth management hearings board.

Sec. 2   RCW 36.70A.290 and 2011 c 277 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All requests for review to the growth management hearings board shall be initiated by filing a petition that includes a detailed statement of issues presented for resolution by the board. The board shall render written decisions articulating the basis for its holdings. The board shall not issue advisory opinions on issues not presented to the board in the statement of issues, as modified by any prehearing order.
     (2) All petitions relating to whether or not an adopted comprehensive plan, development regulation, or permanent amendment thereto, is in compliance with the goals and requirements of this chapter or chapter 90.58 or 43.21C RCW must be filed within sixty days after publication as provided in (a) through (c) of this subsection.
     (a) Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, the date of publication for a city shall be the date the city publishes the ordinance, or summary of the ordinance, adopting the comprehensive plan or development regulations, or amendment thereto, as is required to be published.
     (b) Promptly after adoption, a county shall publish a notice that it has adopted the comprehensive plan or development regulations, or amendment thereto.
     Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, for purposes of this section the date of publication for a county shall be the date the county publishes the notice that it has adopted the comprehensive plan or development regulations, or amendment thereto.
     (c) For local governments planning under RCW 36.70A.040, promptly after approval or disapproval of a local government's shoreline master program or amendment thereto by the department of ecology as provided in RCW 90.58.090, the department of ecology shall publish a notice that the shoreline master program or amendment thereto has been approved or disapproved. For purposes of this section, the date of publication for the adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program is the date the department of ecology publishes notice that the shoreline master program or amendment thereto has been approved or disapproved.
     (3) Unless the board dismisses the petition as frivolous or finds that the person filing the petition lacks standing, or the parties have filed an agreement to have the case heard in superior court as provided in RCW 36.70A.295, the board shall, within ten days of receipt of the petition, set a time for hearing the matter.
     (4) The board shall base its decision on the record developed by the city, county, or the state and supplemented with additional evidence if the board determines that such additional evidence would be necessary or of substantial assistance to the board in reaching its decision. In accordance with section 1 of this act, the board may not consider documents created after the effective date of this section that are ineligible for submission to the board.
     (5) The board, shall consolidate, when appropriate, all petitions involving the review of the same comprehensive plan or the same development regulation or regulations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act takes effect July 1, 2012.