2911 AMS TRAN S5582.1
HB 2911 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Transportation
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. PURPOSE. The Washington state legislature, the governor, and other public officials expect continued improvement in the accountability of government services by developing the appropriate use of new budget tools, techniques, and approaches.
It is the intent of the legislature to make Washington state government more understandable to policymakers and the public, to evaluate benefits of implementing strategic planning, to reform budget development and review, to evaluate program performance, to strengthen accountability for meaningful results, and to identify opportunities for productivity and customer service improvement.
Pilot programs and experimentation may be necessary in order to evaluate the effectiveness and usefulness of these new approaches and budgeting tools.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. INTENT. With the goal of increasing visibility, accountability, and efficiencies of governmental services, a collaborative effort by the legislature, the governor, and other public officials is needed to develop and evaluate methods and strategies for moving transportation agencies from the historical incremental operating and capital budget approach to new budgeting concepts, incorporating such tools as performance-based budgeting.
Significant improvement in the delivery and accountability of state services will depend on fundamental changes in the budget process and successful use of, at minimum, the following tools:
(1) Quality improvement principles that focus on process improvements and customer satisfaction;
(2) Strategic planning activities and results oriented evaluation mechanisms;
(3) The definition of expected outcomes for various levels of public investments;
(4) The establishment of benchmarks and standards for programs and activities; and
(5) A reporting mechanism for program evaluation.
The legislature and the governor acknowledge that the major transportation agencies, defined as the department of transportation, the Washington state patrol, and the department of licensing, have in varying degrees implemented these budget and management tools. These agencies shall continue to submit, to the extent practical, performance-based budgets for the 1997-99 biennium together with their current strategic plans.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. STRATEGIC PLANNING. The major transportation agencies defined in section 2 of this act shall submit a detailed six-year program and financial plan in support of the agencies budget request for the 1997-99 biennium.
The strategic plan will serve as the basis for evaluation of the necessity and validity of programs and activities to be performed during the budget period. The performance indicators must focus on outcomes and results so the legislature, the governor, and the citizens can better understand what services can be delivered at different appropriation levels.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. Each transportation agency's strategic plan must include specific quality improvement strategies.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT/BENCHMARKS. The transportation agencies, in consultation with the office of financial management and the legislative transportation committee, shall propose meaningful performance measurements and benchmarks for as many critical programs and activities as is practical.
As part of this process, the agencies shall review program, subprogram, or activity budget descriptions or terminology to facilitate better understanding by policymakers and the public.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. PERFORMANCE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT--LINKAGE TO STRATEGIC PLANS. Transportation agencies' decision packages must be directly linked to their strategic plans. Any decision packages not directly linked to the strategic plans must be so identified.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. TRANSPORTATION BUDGET IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The transportation budget improvement advisory committee is created. The committee membership consists of representatives from the office of financial management, legislative transportation committee staff, and the three major transportation agencies.
The mission of the committee is to recommend specific methods and proposals for implementing this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. BUDGET PROCESS MANAGEMENT. Experimentation in the implementation of these new approaches will be necessary to accomplish the goals of this chapter. New approaches to preparing, reviewing, explaining, and monitoring agency budgets will need to be developed. Budget request formats and processes must be developed in such a way as to avoid unnecessary or duplicative efforts on the part of agencies.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. CAPTIONS NOT LAW. Section captions used in this chapter are not part of the law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Sections 1 through 9 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 47 RCW."
HB 2911 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Transportation
In line 2 of the title, after "agencies;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and adding a new chapter to Title 47 RCW."
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