SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 1107

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

             Government Operations, March 30, 1995

Title:  An act relating to the elimination and consolidation of boards and commissions.

Brief Description:  Eliminating and consolidating boards and commissions.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Representatives Reams, Rust, Goldsmith, Kremen, Wolfe, R. Fisher and Chopp; by request of Governor Lowry).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  3/28/95, 3/30/95 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Sheldon, Vice Chair; Drew, Hale, Heavey, McCaslin and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  In 1993, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) conducted a survey and found that 569 state boards and commissions operated in the 1991-93 biennium.  In 1994, the Legislature passed ESHB 2676.  The bill abolished or consolidated 49 boards and commissions, established a process to eliminate redundant and obsolete boards and commissions, and restricted the establishment of new boards and commissions. 

Unless a new board or commission is established or required by statute, new boards and commissions may not be established without the express approval of the director of OFM.  Prioritized approval criteria are detailed in statute.  The director of OFM is required to submit to the Legislature by January 8 of each year a list of boards and commissions for which approval was requested and of those that were approved during the preceding calendar year.

The Governor is required to review boards and commissions based on statutory criteria, and by January 8 of each odd-numbered year, submit a report and legislation to the Legislature recommending which boards and commissions should be terminated or consolidated.  The Governor has submitted the 1995 report, recommending the termination of 34 boards and commissions and the consolidation of 16 boards and commissions into five merged boards.

Summary of Amended Bill:  A total of 47 boards, councils, commissions and committees is affected as follows:  31 are eliminated outright; 14 are consolidated into four merged boards; one is reconfigured; and one is sunsetted in the year 2002.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The number of members on the Transportation Improvement Board is reduced from 24 to 21. 

The Cosmetology Board was not a part of the original bill.  The substitute bill abolishes the board in two years and, in the interim, charges it with recommending reforming or restructuring the regulation of the profession, if appropriate.  The board's membership is expanded from five to seven.  The Puget Sound Water Quality Authority is added by the amendment to be sunsetted in 2002.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately with the exception of the abolishment of the Juvenile Dispositions Standards Commission which occurs June 30, 1997.

Testimony For:  This is a good government bill which cleans up the statutes by eliminating nonfunctioning boards and consolidating others.

Testimony Against:  Some boards are serving a purpose and are doing a good job.  Their functions should be continued.

Testified:  Fred Hellberg, Governor's Office (pro); Gary Lowe, WSAC; Dan Rude, TIB (pro).