On page 7, after line 5, insert the following:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  "A new section is added to chapter 43.09 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The state auditor must:

(a) Enter into a partnership with the national institutes of standards and technology, United States department of commerce to coordinate and schedule excellence assessments of the agency's operations every two years; and

(b) Transmit completed excellence assessments and feedback reports to pertinent legislative committees and the office of the governor.

(2) The state auditor's goal is to progress toward achieving world-class performance by achieving a sixty percent score within seven years of its first excellence assessment. When the agency achieves a sixty percent score, it must apply for an award from the national institutes of science and technology, United States department of commerce for its performance.

(3) If the state auditor meets the goal in subsection (2) of this section, the state auditor is not required to conduct an excellence assessment every two years, but must conduct an excellence assessment at least every four years."

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

On page 1, line 3 of the title, after "43.09.440;" insert "adding a new section to chapter 43.09 RCW;"

EFFECT: Requires the state auditor to conduct excellence assessments of the agency's operations through the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, United States Department of Commerce.