HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 2261

Brief Description:  Reducing paperwork for the Governor=s budget document.

Background:   RCW 43.88, also known as the budget and accounting act, sets forth the requirements for the contents of the Governor=s capital and operating budget proposals and time lines for preparation and submission of the documents.  For example, the statute  requires that the Governor=s budget document contain revenue data by fund, provide workload information, the cost of debt service, a six-year capital plan, and long-range business plans for enterprise activities.

Under the state=s accounting practices, expenditures are divided into categories known as Aobjects.@  Examples of objects of expenditure include salaries, benefits, equipment, travel, and goods and services.  These objects define what an agency spends its money for.  Accounting reports are available that detail agency expenditures by object.

RCW 43.88.030 requires that the Governor=s budget submittal identify prospective expenditures by object.

Summary:   The requirement that the Governor=s biennial budget document include prospective object of expenditure information is deleted. A new requirement that the budget data be tabulated for each agency reflects current practice at OFM.

There is a technical change to reference the correct RCW when referring to the Puget Sound management plan.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.