SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 6456

  AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 8, 1994

Brief Description:  Authorizing state agencies to acquire responsibility for operation on maintenance of buildings they occupy.

SPONSORS: Senators Vognild, Sellar, Snyder, Haugen, Anderson, Newhouse, Loveland, Spanel, Wojahn, Prince, Drew, Owen and Gaspard

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6456 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

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

Minority Report:  Do not pass. 

     Signed by Senator Loveland.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates: February 3, 1994; February 4, 1994

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6456 as recommended by Committee on Government Operations be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Quigley, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hargrove, Hochstatter, Ludwig, McDonald, Moyer, Niemi, Pelz, L. Smith, Snyder, Spanel, Sutherland, Talmadge, West and Wojahn.

Staff:  Martin Chaw (786-7711)

Hearing Dates: February 7, 1994; February 8, 1994

BACKGROUND:

The Department of General Administration has responsibility for the custody and control of the capitol buildings and grounds and for housing state agencies.

SUMMARY:

If any state agency or other state office occupies more than 50 percent of the area of a facility managed by the Director of General Administration, that state office may acquire the management of that facility from the Department of General Administration.  The transfer shall occur 90 days after the state office so requests in writing.  When the transfer of responsibility occurs, the Department of General Administration can no longer charge the state office for the management of that building which the state office occupies and must delegate to that state office its management functions.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The substitute bill clarifies that responsibility for management of the premises surrounding the facilities will also transfer when the responsibility for the management of the facility transfers.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

Effective Date:  July 1, 1994

TESTIMONY FOR (Government Operations):

This bill permits and does not require agencies to manage the buildings they occupy so as to improve accountability for service.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Government Operations):

The centralized capitol campus requires centralized management.  Significant capitol requirements would not be properly addressed.  The jobs of the state employees now doing maintenance for General Administration are not secured.  Economies of scale would be lost.

TESTIFIED (Government Operations):  John Franklin, Grant Fredricks, GA (con); Fred DeBolt, DOT (pro); Gary Moore, WFSE (con)

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

This measure simply encourages accountability in both GA and the agencies.  Agencies should be able to control their expenses and services.  Under current programs, GA controls the billings and services and agencies have very little control over it.  Centralizing services does not seem to be working.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):

The department does not support this measure.  This measure would result in deteriorated services, improper maintenance, and would require a significant change in the budget and billing development process.

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  Senator Vognild (pro); Grant Fredricks, Deputy Director, General Administration (con)