FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2394

                         C 105 L 98

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Consolidating general administration funds and accounts.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Alexander, D. Schmidt, H. Sommers, Gardner, Doumit, Lambert and Thompson; by request of Department of General Administration).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  The Department of General Administration (GA) provides various services to state agencies including: engineering and architectural services; facilities maintenance; property leasing; goods and services procurement;  mail processing; operation of the state motor pool; and management of insurance claims against the state.  The department generates revenues through rates or fees for services and conducts most of its operations through the following appropriated and non-appropriated accounts:

Cthe motor transport account, used to operate the motor transport division, including salaries and wages, administrative expenses, overhead, the cost of replacement vehicles, and related expenses;

Cthe general administration management fund, used to pay all costs incurred by the department in operating real estate for state agencies;

Cthe facilities and services revolving fund, used to provide services, equipment, and supplies to state agencies;

Cthe central stores revolving fund, used to purchase and sell supplies to state agencies, and pay salaries and other costs related to operating central stores;

Cthe surplus property purchase revolving fund, used to acquire federal surplus property for resale to eligible donees, including state agencies, local governments and others; and

Cthe risk management account, used to operate the state's self-insurance program. 

The director may expend up to $50,000 per biennium from the general administration management fund to cover unusual or unexpected expenses corrected with space occupancy or management that cannot be charged directly to any specific state agency.  The director must transfer any surplus in the general administration management fund to the general fund.

Summary:  The general administration services account is created in the custody of the state treasurer.  Only the director of the Department of General Administration (GA) or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account.  The department must use the account for all activities previously budgeted and accounted for in the motor transport account, the general administration management fund, the facilities and services revolving fund, the central stores revolving fund, the surplus property purchase revolving fund, and the risk management account. 

The director of the Office of Financial Management must approve any change in the method of calculating charges for services provided through the general administration services account that were previously provided through the facilities and services revolving fund.

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The authority to spend up to $50,000 per biennium to cover unusual or unexpected expenses is eliminated. The director of the GA no longer must transfer surplus moneys in the general administration management fund to the general fund. 

Authority for the creation, deposit, or disbursement of moneys from the surplus property revolving fund and the central stores revolving fund is repealed.

Votes on Final Passage:

House960

Senate480

Effective:July 1, 1998