FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1686

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 277 L 93

Brief Description:  Defining a term for the administrative procedure act.

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Anderson, Ludwig, R. Meyers, Foreman, Dorn, Orr, Vance, Brough, Tate, Casada, Edmondson, Horn, Wood, Carlson, Ballard, Brumsickle, Ballasiotes, Van Luven, Mielke, Sheahan, Long, Thomas, Cooke, Forner, Morton and Lisk).

House Committee on State Government

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  Under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), the Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee (JARRC) may review an agency's use of policy statements, guidelines, and issuances that are of general applicability to determine whether an agency is using these issuances instead of adopting a rule.

If JARRC finds, by a majority vote of its members, that an agency is using a policy statement, guideline, or issuance in place of a rule, it notifies the agency.  The agency is required to hold a hearing on JARRC's finding.  Within seven days of the hearing, the agency is required to notify JARRC of its action.  If the agency fails to take corrective action, JARRC may, by majority vote, file with the code revisor notice of its objections.  The code revisor is required to publish this notice in the Washington State Register, and the next supplement and compilation of the Washington Administrative Code.

Summary:  The authority of the Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee to review an agency's policy statements, guidelines, and other issuances of general applicability is expanded to include a review of whether these issuances are within legislative intent.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98 0

Senate 42 0

Effective:  July 25, 1993