FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1323

                         C 126 L 97

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing electronic distribution of rules notices.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Reform & Land Use (originally sponsored by  Representatives D. Schmidt, Scott, Wensman, Morris, Costa and Dunn; by request of Department of Revenue).

House Committee on Government Reform & Land Use

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  The Administrative Procedure Act requires agencies to send interested parties various notices of rule making and other agency procedures.

An agency must solicit comments from the public on a subject of possible rule making by preparing a pre-proposal Astatement of inquiry.@  The statement of inquiry identifies the statute authorizing the agency to adopt rules on the subject, discusses why rules may be needed, and specifies the process by which interested parties may participate in the process.  An agency must file the statement of inquiry with the code reviser for publication in the register and must send it to any person who has requested a copy.

Interpretive and policy statements are documents informing persons of an agency=s interpretation of a statute or current approach to implementing a statute.  An agency must maintain a roster of persons who have requested to be notified of interpretive and policy statements and must send copies of any statements which have been issued to persons on the roster.

Agencies must also send notice of proposed rules and proposals for the expedited repeal of rules to persons who request notice.

Summary:  An agency with the capacity to transmit by electronic mail or facsimile mail may ask persons who are on mailing lists or rosters for copies of statements of inquiry, interpretive statements, policy statements, and other similar notices whether they would like to receive the notices electronically.

Electronic distribution to persons who request it may substitute for mailed copies.

Agencies which maintain mailing lists or rosters for any notices relating to rule making or policy or interpretive statements may establish different rosters or lists by general subject area.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 48 0

Effective:July 27,  1997