BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to creating the Washington answers! program; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature believes that one of the most important responsibilities of the Washington state government is to provide quick, accurate, and courteous information to Washington citizens. The governor has also made customer service a priority by including it in performance contracts with agency directors. Washington citizens use various means to access information and services including the telephone, the internet, the postal service, and office visits. The Washington answers! program is intended to focus on improving the ability of agencies to provide quick, courteous, and accurate information to Washington citizens.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Account" means the Washington answers! account in the state treasury.

(2) "Agency" means an office, department, board, commission, or other separate unit or division, however designated, in the state government.

(3) "Director" means the director of financial management.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The Washington answers! account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be used only in a manner consistent with this chapter. Moneys deposited in the account shall be administered by the director and subject to legislative appropriation.

(2) The director may use or permit the use of any moneys in the account to make grants to agencies for the purpose of improving the ability of agencies to provide quick, courteous, and accurate information to Washington citizens. No more than three percent of the moneys deposited in the account may be used by the director to pay for the administration of the grant program authorized by this chapter.

(3) An agency applying for grants shall submit a written proposal to the director. The proposal must include a description of how the agency will use the grant and other information relevant to the director's consideration of the agency's proposal under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. When making a grant under this chapter, the director shall consider the extent to which the applicant agency's proposal:

(1) Contains initiatives that will result in long-term improvement in customer service;

(2) Utilizes technology to improve and expand the avenues for citizens to access information from the agency;

(3) Reduces the time within which the agency responds to citizen requests;

(4) Reduces telephone wait times for citizens calling for agency assistance;

(5) Improves call centers to get information to callers more quickly;

(6) Improves the agency's use of toll-free telephone numbers;

(7) Demonstrates the agency's need to improve telephone service;

(8) Uses electronic filing, electronic forms, and electronic commerce to improve customer service;

(9) Improves efficiency in collecting and utilizing state revenues;

(10) Creates new efficiencies; and

(11) Reduces the number of full-time employees within the agency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. An agency receiving a grant under this chapter shall:

(1) Monitor wait times for citizens contacting the agency and the time within which the agency responds to citizen requests;

(2) Provide an opportunity for citizens to leave messages in the event that wait times are too long; and

(3) Provide an annual report on the results of the grant to the legislature, the governor, and the director on or before December 1st in each of the five years following receipt of the grant. The report must contain the following information:

(a) The average wait time for citizens contacting the agency during the preceding calendar year;

(b) The number of dropped telephone calls during the preceding calendar year;

(d) The average time within which the agency responded to citizen requests during the preceding calendar year;

(e) A timetable of targets for meaningful reductions in citizen wait time; and

(f) Beginning in the second year following the grant, a comparison of the information from previous years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The director shall conduct an annual random survey of published agency access numbers. The survey must include agencies with high volumes of citizen contact during the preceding calendar year. The director shall report the results of the survey to the legislature and the governor on or before December 1st of each year. The survey must include the following information for each agency:

(1) The number of times, if any, that the agency could not be contacted through the published agency access number;

(2) The responsiveness of the published agency access number;

(3) The average amount of wait time; and

(4) The availability of knowledgeable agency staff to answer citizen questions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The director shall make available to other agencies any innovative actions that the director discovers while administering this chapter that may improve an agency's ability to provide quick, courteous, and accurate information to Washington citizens.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2001, from the general fund to the Washington answers! account for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 7 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.