HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1325

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to giving local governments the option to acquire services or goods under purchasing arrangements made by state agencies.

Brief Description:  Giving local governments the option to acquire services or goods under arrangements by state agencies.

Sponsors:  Representatives Bray, Edmondson, Orr, H. Myers, Long and Springer.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, February 16, 1993, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Bray, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Rayburn; Romero; Springer; Van Luven; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  The Department of General Administration is responsible for purchasing all materials, supplies, services, and equipment for all state institutions, institutions of higher education, and the offices of all elected and appointed state officers.

It has been suggested that local governments would benefit if they were able to participate in contracts entered into by the Department of General Administration for the purchase of goods and services.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The state must meet with local governments before soliciting bids for air service.  Local governments must be included within the invitation for bids, but if no airline is willing to include local governments in an air service contract, the state may solicit new bids without local government participation.  The Department of General Administration must report to the Senate Government Operations Committee and the House Local Government Committee the reasons why local governments are not included in the air service contract, if the airlines are unwilling to include local governments in the contract.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The scope of the bill to air service contracts is narrowed.  Local governments are allowed to be dropped from the call for bids if no airline is willing to include them as part of the air service contract.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Local governments should be given an opportunity to participate in the state air service contract.  This would significantly lower travel costs and save taxpayer money.  Many people are unable to attend meetings because of the cost.  Ridership on airlines would increase.

Testimony Against:  The state allows local governments to participate in the air service contract out of Olympia.  The original bill applied to all contracts by the Department of General Administration.  Local governments should have worked with higher echelon officials in the Department of General Administration.

Witnesses:  (Pro): Jim Justin, Association of Washington Cities; Randy Scott, Spokane County; Debbie Wilke, Washington Association of County Officials; Bill Vogler, and K.O. Rosenberg, Washington State Association of Counties; Greg Vigdor, Washington Hospital Association; Scott Taylor, Washington Public Ports Association; and Dave Arbaugh, Washington PUD Association.

(Con on original bill): Tim Arnold, Alan Momohara, and S. G. Heathers, Department of General Administration.