S-4376.1  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6818

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

 

By Senators Goings, Horn, Costa and Gardner

 

Read first time 02/01/2000.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Changing the interagency revenue task force to the transportation revenue task force.


    AN ACT Relating to the interagency revenue task force; and amending RCW 43.88.020, 43.88.030, 43.88.120, 43.88.122, and 44.40.070.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.88.020 and 1996 c 288 s 23 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) "Budget" means a proposed plan of expenditures for a given period or purpose and the proposed means for financing these expenditures.

    (2) "Budget document" means a formal statement, either written or provided on any electronic media or both, offered by the governor to the legislature, as provided in RCW 43.88.030.

    (3) "Director of financial management" means the official appointed by the governor to serve at the governor's pleasure and to whom the governor may delegate necessary authority to carry out the governor's duties as provided in this chapter.  The director of financial management shall be head of the office of financial management which shall be in the office of the governor.

    (4) "Agency" means and includes every state office, officer, each institution, whether educational, correctional, or other, and every department, division, board, and commission, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

    (5) "Public funds", for purposes of this chapter, means all moneys, including cash, checks, bills, notes, drafts, stocks, and bonds, whether held in trust, for operating purposes, or for capital purposes, and collected or disbursed under law, whether or not such funds are otherwise subject to legislative appropriation, including funds maintained outside the state treasury.

    (6) "Regulations" means the policies, standards, and requirements, stated in writing, designed to carry out the purposes of this chapter, as issued by the governor or the governor's designated agent, and which shall have the force and effect of law.

    (7) "Ensuing biennium" means the fiscal biennium beginning on July 1st of the same year in which a regular session of the legislature is held during an odd-numbered year pursuant to Article II, section 12 of the Constitution and which biennium next succeeds the current biennium.

    (8) "Dedicated fund" means a fund in the state treasury, or a separate account or fund in the general fund in the state treasury, that by law is dedicated, appropriated, or set aside for a limited object or purpose; but "dedicated fund" does not include a revolving fund or a trust fund.

    (9) "Revolving fund" means a fund in the state treasury, established by law, from which is paid the cost of goods or services furnished to or by a state agency, and which is replenished through charges made for such goods or services or through transfers from other accounts or funds.

    (10) "Trust fund" means a fund in the state treasury in which designated persons or classes of persons have a vested beneficial interest or equitable ownership, or which was created or established by a gift, grant, contribution, devise, or bequest that limits the use of the fund to designated objects or purposes.

    (11) "Administrative expenses" means expenditures for:  (a) Salaries, wages, and related costs of personnel and (b) operations and maintenance including but not limited to costs of supplies, materials, services, and equipment.

    (12) "Fiscal year" means the year beginning July 1st and ending the following June 30th.

    (13) "Lapse" means the termination of authority to expend an appropriation.

    (14) "Legislative fiscal committees" means the joint legislative audit and review committee, the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee, the ways and means committees of the senate and house of representatives, and, where appropriate, the ((legislative)) transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives.

    (15) "Fiscal period" means the period for which an appropriation is made as specified within the act making the appropriation.

    (16) "Primary budget driver" means the primary determinant of a budget level, other than a price variable, which causes or is associated with the major expenditure of an agency or budget unit within an agency, such as a caseload, enrollment, workload, or population statistic.

    (17) "State tax revenue limit" means the limitation created by chapter 43.135 RCW.

    (18) "General state revenues" means the revenues defined by Article VIII, section 1(c) of the state Constitution.

    (19) "Annual growth rate in real personal income" means the estimated percentage growth in personal income for the state during the current fiscal year, expressed in constant value dollars, as published by the office of financial management or its successor agency.

    (20) "Estimated revenues" means estimates of revenue in the most recent official economic and revenue forecast prepared under RCW 82.33.020, and prepared by the office of financial management for those funds, accounts, and sources for which the office of the economic and revenue forecast council does not prepare an official forecast including estimates of revenues to support financial plans under RCW 44.40.070, that are prepared by the office of financial management in consultation with the ((interagency)) transportation revenue task force.

    (21) "Estimated receipts" means the estimated receipt of cash in the most recent official economic and revenue forecast prepared under RCW 82.33.020, and prepared by the office of financial management for those funds, accounts, and sources for which the office of the economic and revenue forecast council does not prepare an official forecast.

    (22) "State budgeting, accounting, and reporting system" means a system that gathers, maintains, and communicates fiscal information.  The system links fiscal information beginning with development of agency budget requests through adoption of legislative appropriations to tracking actual receipts and expenditures against approved plans.

    (23) "Allotment of appropriation" means the agency's statement of proposed expenditures, the director of financial management's review of that statement, and the placement of the approved statement into the state budgeting, accounting, and reporting system.

    (24) "Statement of proposed expenditures" means a plan prepared by each agency that breaks each appropriation out into monthly detail representing the best estimate of how the appropriation will be expended.

    (25) "Undesignated fund balance (or deficit)" means unreserved and undesignated current assets or other resources available for expenditure over and above any current liabilities which are expected to be incurred by the close of the fiscal period.

     (26) "Internal audit" means an independent appraisal activity within an agency for the review of operations as a service to management, including a systematic examination of accounting and fiscal controls to assure that human and material resources are guarded against waste, loss, or misuse; and that reliable data are gathered, maintained, and fairly disclosed in a written report of the audit findings.

    (27) "Performance verification" means an analysis that (a) verifies the accuracy of data used by state agencies in quantifying intended results and measuring performance toward those results, and (b) verifies whether or not the reported results were achieved.

    (28) "Performance audit" has the same meaning as it is defined in RCW 44.28.005.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 43.88.030 and 1998 c 346 s 910 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The director of financial management shall provide all agencies with a complete set of instructions for submitting biennial budget requests to the director at least three months before agency budget documents are due into the office of financial management.  The director shall provide agencies that are required under RCW 44.40.070 to develop comprehensive six-year program and financial plans with a complete set of instructions for submitting these program and financial plans at the same time that instructions for submitting other budget requests are provided.  The budget document or documents shall consist of the governor's budget message which shall be explanatory of the budget and shall contain an outline of the proposed financial policies of the state for the ensuing fiscal period, as well as an outline of the proposed six-year financial policies where applicable, and shall describe in connection therewith the important features of the budget.  The message shall set forth the reasons for salient changes from the previous fiscal period in expenditure and revenue items and shall explain any major changes in financial policy.  Attached to the budget message shall be such supporting schedules, exhibits and other explanatory material in respect to both current operations and capital improvements as the governor shall deem to be useful to the legislature.  The budget document or documents shall set forth a proposal for expenditures in the ensuing fiscal period, or six-year period where applicable, based upon the estimated revenues and caseloads as approved by the economic and revenue forecast council and caseload forecast council or upon the estimated revenues and caseloads of the office of financial management for those funds, accounts, sources, and programs for which the forecast councils do not prepare an official forecast, including those revenues anticipated to support the six-year programs and financial plans under RCW 44.40.070.  In estimating revenues to support financial plans under RCW 44.40.070, the office of financial management shall rely on information and advice from the ((interagency)) transportation revenue task force.  Revenues shall be estimated for such fiscal period from the source and at the rates existing by law at the time of submission of the budget document, including the supplemental budgets submitted in the even-numbered years of a biennium.  However, the estimated revenues and caseloads for use in the governor's budget document may be adjusted to reflect budgetary revenue transfers and revenue and caseload estimates dependent upon budgetary assumptions of enrollments, workloads, and caseloads.  All adjustments to the approved estimated revenues and caseloads must be set forth in the budget document.  The governor may additionally submit, as an appendix to each supplemental, biennial, or six-year agency budget or to the budget document or documents, a proposal for expenditures in the ensuing fiscal period from revenue sources derived from proposed changes in existing statutes.

    Supplemental and biennial documents shall reflect a six-year expenditure plan consistent with estimated revenues from existing sources and at existing rates for those agencies required to submit six-year program and financial plans under RCW 44.40.070.  Any additional revenue resulting from proposed changes to existing statutes shall be separately identified within the document as well as related expenditures for the six-year period.

    The budget document or documents shall also contain:

    (a) Revenues classified by fund and source for the immediately past fiscal period, those received or anticipated for the current fiscal period, those anticipated for the ensuing biennium, and those anticipated for the ensuing six-year period to support the six-year programs and financial plans required under RCW 44.40.070;

    (b) The undesignated fund balance or deficit, by fund;

    (c) Such additional information dealing with expenditures, revenues, workload, performance, and personnel as the legislature may direct by law or concurrent resolution;

    (d) Such additional information dealing with revenues and expenditures as the governor shall deem pertinent and useful to the legislature;

    (e) Tabulations showing expenditures classified by fund, function, activity, and agency;

    (f) A delineation of each agency's activities, including those activities funded from nonbudgeted, nonappropriated sources, including funds maintained outside the state treasury;

    (g) Identification of all proposed direct expenditures to implement the Puget Sound water quality plan under chapter 90.71 RCW, shown by agency and in total; and

    (h) Tabulations showing each postretirement adjustment by retirement system established after fiscal year 1991, to include, but not be limited to, estimated total payments made to the end of the previous biennial period, estimated payments for the present biennium, and estimated payments for the ensuing biennium.

    (2) The budget document or documents shall include detailed estimates of all anticipated revenues applicable to proposed operating or capital expenditures and shall also include all proposed operating or capital expenditures.  The total of beginning undesignated fund balance and estimated revenues less working capital and other reserves shall equal or exceed the total of proposed applicable expenditures.  The budget document or documents shall further include:

    (a) Interest, amortization and redemption charges on the state debt;

    (b) Payments of all reliefs, judgments, and claims;

    (c) Other statutory expenditures;

    (d) Expenditures incident to the operation for each agency;

    (e) Revenues derived from agency operations;

    (f) Expenditures and revenues shall be given in comparative form showing those incurred or received for the immediately past fiscal period and those anticipated for the current biennium and next ensuing biennium, as well as those required to support the six-year programs and financial plans required under RCW 44.40.070;

    (g) A showing and explanation of amounts of general fund and other funds obligations for debt service and any transfers of moneys that otherwise would have been available for appropriation;

    (h) Common school expenditures on a fiscal-year basis;

    (i) A showing, by agency, of the value and purpose of financing contracts for the lease/purchase or acquisition of personal or real property for the current and ensuing fiscal periods; and

    (j) A showing and explanation of anticipated amounts of general fund and other funds required to amortize the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the retirement system specified under chapter 41.45 RCW, and the contributions to meet such amortization, stated in total dollars and as a level percentage of total compensation.

    (3) A separate capital budget document or schedule shall be submitted that will contain the following:

    (a) A statement setting forth a long-range facilities plan for the state that identifies and includes the highest priority needs within affordable spending levels;

    (b) A capital program consisting of proposed capital projects for the next biennium and the two biennia succeeding the next biennium consistent with the long-range facilities plan.  Insomuch as is practical, and recognizing emergent needs, the capital program shall reflect the priorities, projects, and spending levels proposed in previously submitted capital budget documents in order to provide a reliable long-range planning tool for the legislature and state agencies;

    (c) A capital plan consisting of proposed capital spending for at least four biennia succeeding the next biennium;

    (d) A strategic plan for reducing backlogs of maintenance and repair projects.  The plan shall include a prioritized list of specific facility deficiencies and capital projects to address the deficiencies for each agency, cost estimates for each project, a schedule for completing projects over a reasonable period of time, and identification of normal maintenance activities to reduce future backlogs;

    (e) A statement of the reason or purpose for a project;

    (f) Verification that a project is consistent with the provisions set forth in chapter 36.70A RCW;

    (g) A statement about the proposed site, size, and estimated life of the project, if applicable;

    (h) Estimated total project cost;

    (i) For major projects valued over five million dollars, estimated costs for the following project components:  Acquisition, consultant services, construction, equipment, project management, and other costs included as part of the project.  Project component costs shall be displayed in a standard format defined by the office of financial management to allow comparisons between projects;

    (j) Estimated total project cost for each phase of the project as defined by the office of financial management;

    (k) Estimated ensuing biennium costs;

    (l) Estimated costs beyond the ensuing biennium;

    (m) Estimated construction start and completion dates;

    (n) Source and type of funds proposed;

    (o) Estimated ongoing operating budget costs or savings resulting from the project, including staffing and maintenance costs;

    (p) For any capital appropriation requested for a state agency for the acquisition of land or the capital improvement of land in which the primary purpose of the acquisition or improvement is recreation or wildlife habitat conservation, the capital budget document, or an omnibus list of recreation and habitat acquisitions provided with the governor's budget document, shall identify the projected costs of operation and maintenance for at least the two biennia succeeding the next biennium.  Omnibus lists of habitat and recreation land acquisitions shall include individual project cost estimates for operation and maintenance as well as a total for all state projects included in the list.  The document shall identify the source of funds from which the operation and maintenance costs are proposed to be funded;

    (q) Such other information bearing upon capital projects as the governor deems to be useful;

    (r) Standard terms, including a standard and uniform definition of normal maintenance, for all capital projects;

    (s) Such other information as the legislature may direct by law or concurrent resolution.

    For purposes of this subsection (3), the term "capital project" shall be defined subsequent to the analysis, findings, and recommendations of a joint committee comprised of representatives from the house capital appropriations committee, senate ways and means committee, ((legislative)) senate transportation committee, house transportation committee, legislative evaluation and accountability program committee, and office of financial management.

    (4) No change affecting the comparability of agency or program information relating to expenditures, revenues, workload, performance and personnel shall be made in the format of any budget document or report presented to the legislature under this section or RCW 43.88.160(1) relative to the format of the budget document or report which was presented to the previous regular session of the legislature during an odd-numbered year without prior legislative concurrence.  Prior legislative concurrence shall consist of (a) a favorable majority vote on the proposal by the standing committees on ways and means of both houses if the legislature is in session or (b) a favorable majority vote on the proposal by members of the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee if the legislature is not in session.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 43.88.120 and 1991 c 358 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    Each agency engaged in the collection of revenues shall prepare estimated revenues and estimated receipts for the current and ensuing biennium and shall submit the estimates to the director of financial management and the director of revenue at times and in the form specified by the directors, along with any other information which the directors may request.  For those agencies required to develop six-year programs and financial plans under RCW 44.40.070, six-year revenue estimates shall be submitted to the director of financial management and the ((legislative)) transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives unless the responsibility for reporting these revenue estimates is assumed elsewhere.

    A copy of such revenue estimates shall be simultaneously submitted to the economic and revenue forecast work group when required by the office of the economic and revenue forecast council.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 43.88.122 and 1991 c 358 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    Where there are variances of revenue forecasts between the office of financial management and the ((interagency)) transportation revenue task force, for those transportation agencies that are required to develop plans under RCW 44.40.070, the office of financial management shall submit (1) a reconciliation of the differences between the revenue forecasts and (2) the assumptions used by the office of financial management to the ((legislative)) transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives.

 

    Sec. 5.  RCW 44.40.070 and 1998 c 245 s 87 are each amended to read as follows:

    Prior to October 1st of each even-numbered year the transportation revenue task force, consisting of all state agencies whose major programs consist of transportation activities, including the department of transportation, the transportation improvement board, the Washington state patrol, the department of licensing, the traffic safety commission, the county road administration board, and the board of pilotage commissioners, shall adopt or revise, after consultation with the ((legislative)) transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives, a comprehensive six-year program and financial plan for all transportation activities under each agency's jurisdiction.

    The comprehensive six-year program and financial plan shall state the general objectives and needs of each agency's major transportation programs, including workload and performance estimates.

 


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