H-4423.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 2945

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

 

By Representatives McCune and Cairnes

 

Read first time 01/23/98.  Referred to Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget.

Notifying the legislature regarding transportation funding and planning.


    AN ACT Relating to notifications regarding transportation funding and planning; and amending RCW 43.79.270, 43.79.280, 43.105.160, and 43.105.190.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.79.270 and 1996 c 288 s 37 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Whenever any money, from the federal government, or from other sources, which was not anticipated in the budget approved by the legislature has actually been received and is designated to be spent for a specific purpose, the head of any department, agency, board, or commission through which such expenditure shall be made is to submit to the governor a statement which may be in the form of a request for an allotment amendment setting forth the facts constituting the need for such expenditure and the estimated amount to be expended:  PROVIDED, That no expenditure shall be made in excess of the actual amount received, and no money shall be expended for any purpose except the specific purpose for which it was received.  A copy of any proposal submitted to the governor to expend money from an appropriated fund or account in excess of appropriations provided by law which is based on the receipt of unanticipated revenues shall be submitted to the joint legislative audit and review committee and also to the standing committees on ways and means of the house and senate if the legislature is in session at the same time as it is transmitted to the governor.

    (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, whenever money from any source that was not anticipated in the transportation budget approved by the legislature has actually been received and is designated to be spent for a specific purpose, the head of a department, agency, board, or commission through which the expenditure must be made shall submit to the governor a statement, which may be in the form of a request for an allotment amendment, setting forth the facts constituting the need for the expenditure and the estimated amount to be expended.  However, no expenditure may be made in excess of the actual amount received, and no money may be expended for any purpose except the specific purpose for which it was received.  A copy of any proposal submitted to the governor to expend money from an appropriated transportation fund or account in excess of appropriations provided by law that is based on the receipt of unanticipated revenues must be submitted, at a minimum, to the standing committees on transportation of the house and senate, if the legislature is in session, at the same time as it is transmitted to the governor.  During the legislative interim, any such proposal must be submitted to the legislative transportation committee.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 43.79.280 and 1996 c 288 s 38 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) If the governor approves such estimate in whole or part, he shall endorse on each copy of the statement his approval, together with a statement of the amount approved in the form of an allotment amendment, and transmit one copy to the head of the department, agency, board, or commission authorizing the expenditure.  An identical copy of the governor's statement of approval and a statement of the amount approved for expenditure shall be transmitted simultaneously to the joint legislative audit and review committee and also to the standing committee on ways and means of the house and senate of all executive approvals of proposals to expend money in excess of appropriations provided by law.

    (2) If the governor approves an estimate with transportation funding implications, in whole or part, he shall endorse on each copy of the statement his approval, together with a statement of the amount approved in the form of an allotment amendment, and transmit one copy to the head of the department, agency, board, or commission authorizing the expenditure.  An identical copy of the governor's statement of approval of a proposal to expend transportation money in excess of appropriations provided by law and a statement of the amount approved for expenditure must be transmitted simultaneously to the standing committees on transportation of the house and senate.  During the legislative interim, all estimate approvals endorsed by the governor along with a statement of the amount approved in the form of an allotment amendment must be transmitted simultaneously to the legislative transportation committee.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 43.105.160 and 1996 c 171 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall prepare a state strategic information technology plan which shall establish a state-wide mission, goals, and objectives for the use of information technology, including goals for electronic access to government records, information, and services.  The plan shall be developed in accordance with the standards and policies established by the board and shall be submitted to the board for review, modification as necessary, and approval.  The department shall seek the advice of the board in the development of this plan.

    The plan approved under this section shall be updated as necessary and submitted to the governor ((and)), the chairs and ranking minority members of the appropriations committees of the senate and the house of representatives, and, during the legislative session, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives.  During the legislative interim, the approved plan must be submitted to the legislative transportation committee, instead of the standing transportation committees.

    (2) The department shall prepare a biennial state performance report on information technology based on agency performance reports required under RCW 43.105.170 and other information deemed appropriate by the department.  The report shall include, but not be limited to:

    (a) An evaluation of performance relating to information technology;

    (b) An assessment of progress made toward implementing the state strategic information technology plan, including progress toward electronic access to public information and enabling citizens to have two-way access to public records, information, and services;

    (c) An analysis of the success or failure, feasibility, progress, costs, and timeliness of implementation of major information technology projects under RCW 43.105.190;

    (d) Identification of benefits, cost avoidance, and cost savings generated by major information technology projects developed under RCW 43.105.190; and

    (e) An inventory of state information services, equipment, and proprietary software.

    Copies of the report shall be distributed biennially to the governor ((and)), the chairs and ranking minority members of the appropriations committees of the senate and the house of representatives, and, during the legislative session, the chairs and ranking minority members of the transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives.  During the legislative interim, the report must be submitted to the legislative transportation committee, instead of the standing transportation committees.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 43.105.190 and 1996 c 137 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department, with the approval of the board, shall establish standards and policies governing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of major information technology projects, including those proposed by the superintendent of public instruction, in conjunction with educational service districts, or state-wide or regional providers of K-12 education information technology services.  The standards and policies shall:

    (a) Establish criteria to identify projects which are subject to this section.  Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to, significant anticipated cost, complexity, or state-wide significance of the project; and

    (b) Establish a model process and procedures which agencies shall follow in developing and implementing project plans.  Agencies may propose, for approval by the department, a process and procedures unique to the agency.  The department may accept or require modification of such agency proposals or the department may reject such agency proposals and require use of the model process and procedures established under this subsection.  Any process and procedures developed under this subsection shall require (i) distinct and identifiable phases upon which funding may be based, (ii) user validation of products through system demonstrations and testing of prototypes and deliverables, and (iii) other elements identified by the board.

    Project plans and any agreements established under such plans shall be approved and mutually agreed upon by the director, the director of financial management, and the head of the agency proposing the project.

    The director may terminate a major project if the director determines that the project is not meeting or is not expected to meet anticipated performance standards.

    (2) The office of financial management shall establish policies and standards governing the funding of projects developed under this section.  The policies and standards shall provide for:

    (a) Funding of a project under terms and conditions mutually agreed to by the director, the director of financial management, and the head of the agency proposing the project.  However, the office of financial management may require incremental funding of a project on a phase-by-phase basis whereby funds for a given phase of a project may be released only when the office of financial management determines, with the advice of the department, that the previous phase is satisfactorily completed;

    (b) Acceptance testing of products to assure that products perform satisfactorily before they are accepted and final payment is made; and

    (c) Other elements deemed necessary by the office of financial management.

    (3) The department shall evaluate projects at three stages of development as follows:  (a) Initial needs assessment; (b) feasibility study including definition of scope, development of tasks and timelines, and estimated costs and benefits; and (c) final project implementation plan based upon available funding.

    Copies of project evaluations conducted under this subsection shall be submitted to the office of financial management and the chairs, ranking minority members, and staff coordinators of the appropriations committees of the senate and house of representatives.

    If there are projects that receive funding from a transportation fund or account, copies of those projects' evaluations conducted under this subsection must be submitted, during the legislative session, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the transportation committees of the senate and the house of representatives.  During the legislative interim, the project evaluations must be submitted to the legislative transportation committee.

 


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