S-1481               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5764

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senators Talmadge, McCaslin, Zimmerman and Halsan

Read first time 2/11/87 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to the creation of new boards, commissions, and special purpose districts; and adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Because of the proliferation of boards, commissions, and types of special purpose districts, the legislature recognizes the necessity of developing a uniform and coordinated procedure for determining the need for new boards and commissions and new types of special purpose districts.  The legislature also recognizes that developing such statements which shall be known as sunrise notes, requires the designation of state agencies to be principally responsible therefor.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The office of financial management and the department of community development shall, in cooperation with appropriate legislative committees and legislative staff, establish a procedure for the provision of sunrise notes on the expected impact of bills and resolutions that authorize the creation of new boards and commissions and the creation of new types of special purpose districts.  The sunrise notes shall focus on the duplication of efforts with existing boards, commissions, and special purpose districts and indicate the creation of potentially divided authority.

          (2) The office of financial management shall prepare sunrise notes for legislation concerning the creation of new boards and commissions.  The department of community development shall prepare sunrise notes for legislation creating new types of special purpose districts.

          (3) For purposes of this chapter, "special purpose district" means any unit of local government other than a city, town, county, or school district.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     When a sunrise note is prepared and approved as to form, accuracy, and completeness by the office of financial management or the department of community development that depicts the expected impact of a bill or resolution creating a new board, commission, or type of special purpose district, copies shall be filed immediately with:

          (1) The chairperson of the committee to which the bill or resolution was referred upon introduction in the house of origin;

          (2) The senate committee on ways and means, or its successor; and

          (3) The house committee on ways and means, or its successor.

          Whenever possible, such sunrise note shall be provided before or at the time the bill or resolution is first heard by the committee of reference in the house of origin.

          When a sunrise note has been prepared for a bill or resolution, a copy of the sunrise note shall be placed in the bill books or otherwise attached to the bill or resolution and shall remain with the bill or resolution throughout the legislative process insofar as possible.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The office of financial management or the department  of community development shall also provide a sunrise note on any legislative proposal at the request of any legislator.  Such sunrise note shall be returned to the requesting legislator, and copies shall be filed with the appropriate legislative committees pursuant to section 3 of this act at the time such proposed legislation is introduced in either house.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Nothing in this chapter prevents either house of the legislature from acting on any bill or resolution before it as otherwise provided by the state Constitution, by law, and by the rules and joint rules of the senate and house of representatives, nor shall the lack of any sunrise note as provided in this chapter or any error in the accuracy thereof affect the validity of any measure otherwise duly passed by the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     This chapter shall be known as the Washington sunrise act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.     Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.