AN ACT Relating to state government; creating a new chapter in Title 1 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.19 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 34.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that statutes and administrative rules are not always written in plain language. Further the legislature recognizes that these statutes and rules have a great effect upon the people of this state. All laws should be easy to understand. It is the intent of this legislation that the legislature and rule-making authorities write all statutes and rules in simple, clear, and concise language.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The reading ease of a statute or rule shall be judged by the Flesch test, computed by the office of the code reviser according to this section.

(2)(a) Multiply the average number of words per sentence by 1.015. (b) Multiply the average number of syllables per word by 84.6. (c) Subtract the sum of the figures achieved in (a) and (b) from 206.835. This number is the section's Flesch reading ease score.

(3) The number of syllables in a word is equal to the number of vowels in that word, with double vowels counted as one, and with a final e, ed, or es not counted. Words of three or fewer letters are assumed to have only one syllable.

(4) The definition of a word and a sentence shall be determined according to the rules of English grammar, with the following modifications: (a) Contractions, hyphenated words, and numbers not separated by spaces count as one word; (b) a group of words ending with a semicolon or colon constitutes a sentence.

(5) The beginning citation and caption of a section shall not be included in the count of syllables, words, and sentences.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.19 RCW to read as follows:

(1) All nonemergency rules proposed after the effective date of this act, shall, when reasonable in the judgment of the rule-making authority of the institution, achieve a score of fifty or more in their codified form on the Flesch reading ease test, computed according to section 2 of this act. The Flesch reading ease score shall appear in the state register for both proposed and adopted rules.

(2) An institution may file rules with a score lower than fifty if such score: (a) Will provide for a more readable rule; (b) is warranted by the nature of the particular rule; or (c) is necessitated by certain language of the rule drafted to comply with state or federal law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 34.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) All nonemergency rules proposed after the effective date of this act, shall, when reasonable in the judgment of the rule-making authority of the agency, achieve a score of fifty or more in their codified form on the Flesch reading ease test, computed according to section 2 of this act. The Flesch reading ease score shall appear in the state register for both proposed and adopted rules.

(2) An agency may file rules with a score lower than fifty if such score: (a) Will provide for a more readable rule; (b) is warranted by the nature of the particular rule; or (c) is necessitated by certain language of the rule drafted to comply with state or federal law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 44.04 RCW to read as follows:

All bills, resolutions, and memorials introduced after the effective date of this act, shall, when reasonable in the judgment of the prime sponsor thereof, achieve a score of fifty or more in their codified form on the Flesch reading ease test, computed according to section 2 of this act. The Flesch reading ease score shall appear on the first page of the bill, resolution, or memorial.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The legislative budget committee shall conduct a performance audit of the readable law program mandated by sections 3, 4, and 5 of this act. Such audit shall be completed by September 30, 1986. Upon completion of the audit, the legislative budget committee shall submit a complete report of its findings to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house for use by the appropriate standing committees to review the readable rule program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 1 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act shall take effect on January 1, 1986.