SENATE BILL REPORT

                            HB 2486

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                       FEBRUARY 22, 1994

Brief Description:  Delaying or repealing specified sunset provisions.

SPONSORS: Representatives Ogden, Silver, Fuhrman, Valle, Sommers, Chandler, Brough, Dyer, Talcott, Forner, Long and Wood; by request of Legislative Budget Committee

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, Oke and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates:  February 22, 1994

BACKGROUND:

It is the duty of the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) to conduct a program and fiscal review of any state agency or program scheduled for termination under the Sunset Act.  Given the resources of LBC are limited, the performance of these sunset reviews as currently scheduled could preclude LBC staff from working on other studies which might have a higher legislative priority.

LBC has previously conducted sunset or other oversight reviews of the Asian-American Affairs Commission, Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises, Human Rights Commission and the Washington School Directors Association.  The State Fire Protection Policy Board does not involve major state resources.  The Linked Deposit Program has not yet been implemented.

SUMMARY:

The sunset reviews of the following entities are repealed:

Asian-American Affairs Commission, current termination date: 1996;

Human Rights Commission, current termination date: 1996;

Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises, current termination date: 1995;

State Fire Protection Policy Board, current termination date:  1996;

Washington School Directors Association, current termination date:  1998.

The sunset termination date of the Linked Deposit Program is changed from 1996 to 2000.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

The expiration date of the Future Teachers Conditional Scholarship program is extended to June 30, 2000.  It is scheduled to expire on June 30, 1994.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

The funds are already budgeted to continue the students in the program through June 1, 1995.  Without extending the enacting law, those funds could not legally be expended.  The LBC has already recommended continuation of the program.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  John Klacik, Higher Education Coordinating Board (pro)