Background: Boards, commissions, councils, and advisory committees (boards) fill a variety of roles. For example, some are responsible for licensing various activities, while others advise state agencies in matters ranging from procedure to technology. Often boards are created as a requirement for a federal grant. Most boards receive staff support from an agency. Members of some boards receive travel compensation and reimbursement from an agency.

Boards can be created in four ways:

by general statute giving an agency authority to create a board for one or more purposes;
by specific statute naming the board as well as its purpose, powers, and duties;
by executive order of the Governor; or
by order of the Supreme Court.

On December 16, 2008, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) released the revised version of a report entitled Review of Boards and Commissions: Pre-Audit. The JLARC report identified 470 boards and commissions currently operating or not known to have been disbanded.

By January 8 of every odd-numbered year, the Governor must submit to the Legislature a report recommending which boards and commissions should be terminated or consolidated. The report must include executive request legislation implementing the recommendations of the report.

Summary of Bill: Forty-eight statutory boards, commissions, committees, or councils are eliminated. Where appropriate, duties are transferred to the agency that the board, commission, committee, or council advises.

All tangible property in the possession of a terminated entity is transferred to the custody of the entity assuming the responsibilities. If the responsibilities of a terminated entity are also terminated, documents and papers must be delivered to the State Archivist, and equipment or other tangible property to the Department of General Administration. Any contractual rights and duties of the eliminated board, committee, or council are assigned to the entity assuming the responsibilities.

Those boards, commission, councils, or committees eliminated as of June 30, 2010, include:

Airport Impact Mitigation Advisory Board;
Athletic Training Advisory Committee;
Basic Health Advisory Committee;
Boards of Law Enforcement and Correctional Training Standards (2);
Citizen's Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction;
Combined Fund Drive Committee;
Committee on Agency Official's Salaries;
Community Transition Coordination Networks Advisory Committee;
Department of Information Services Customer Advisory Board;
Driver Instructor Advisory Committee (Driver Training School Advisory Committee);
Emergency Medical Services Licensing and Certification Advisory Committee;
Employee Retirement Benefits Board;
Environmental Land Use Hearings Board;
Family Practice Education Advisory Board;
Fire Protection Policy Board;
Forest Fire Advisory Board;
Hazardous Substance Mixed Waste Advisory Board;
Health and Welfare Advisory Board;
HECB Advisory Council;
HECB Research Advisory Group;
Industry Cluster Advisory Committee;
Integrated Justice Information Board;
Interagency Integrated Pest Management Coordinating Committee;
Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee;
K-20 Educational Network Board;
K-20 Network Technical Steering Committee;
Land Bank Technical Advisory Committee;
Migratory Waterfowl Art Committee;
Mortgage Broker Commission;
Oil Spill Advisory Committee;
Olympic Natural Resources Center Policy Advisory Board;
On-site Sewage Disposal Systems Alternative Systems Technical Review Committee;
On-site Wastewater Technical Advisory Committee;
Orthotics and Prosthetics Advisory Committee;
Pesticide Advisory Board;
Property and Liability Advisory Board;
Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Advisory Board;
Revenue-Simplified Sales and Use Tax Administrative Advisory Group;
Solid Waste Advisory Committee;
Special License Plate Review Board;
State Board on Geographic Names;
Strategic Health Care Planning Office Technical Advisory Committee;
Veteran's Innovation Program Board;
Washington Main Street Advisory Committee; and
Water Supply Advisory Committee.

The Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission and the Western States School Bus Safety Commission are eliminated as of June 30, 2011. The Women's History Consortium Board of Advisors is eliminated as of November 15, 2010.

Beginning July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, members of boards, commissions, councils, or committees identified as class 1 through class 3 and class 5 groups may not receive allowances for subsistence, lodging, and travel if these costs are funded by the State General Fund. All classes are directed to use methods of conducting meetings that do not require members to travel and to use state facilities for meetings that require members to physically be present. Those boards, commissions, councils, or committees funded by sources other than the state General Fund are encouraged to reduce travel, lodging, and other costs.