HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1115

                       As Passed House

                        March 6, 1991

Title:  An act relating to the correction of references that are incorrect or obsolete as a result of the creation of the department of health by chapter 9, Laws of 1989 1st ex.s.

Brief Description:  Revising references that are incorrect as a result of the creation of the department of health under chapter 9, Laws of 1989 1st ex.s.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Appelwick, Padden, Dellwo and Paris; by request of Statute Law Committee.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Health Care, February 20, 1991, DP;

Passed House, March 6, 1991, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HEALTH CARE

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Minority Member; Casada, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cantwell; Edmondson; Franklin; Morris; Paris; Prentice; and Sprenkle.

Staff:  Bill Hagens (786-7131).

Background:  The Department of Health was created in 1989.  Much of its responsibilities were transferred from other agencies, such as the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Licensing, the Hospital Commission, the State Health Coordinating Council, and the Board of Pharmacy.

References to these agencies in the transferred statutes number in the thousands.  It was determined that to properly transfer in statute all these functions it would require legislation of over 600 pages.  Therefore it was decided to transfer these functions, initially, by reference and properly amend each transferred section of RCW at a subsequent date.  HB 1115 represents the proper transfer of these functions.

Summary of Bill:  Over a thousand technical and clarifying changes are made to the RCW changing the names of the agency and administrator of the transferred functions to "Department of Health" and "Secretary of Health" and correcting gender references.

As a Statute Law Committee request measure, the bill is deemed as only making technical corrections and not including substantive changes.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill is necessary to up-date the Department of Health statutes.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Bill Williams, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Health (Pro).