S-3136.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6490

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Hochstatter, Swecker, Morton and McCaslin

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Imposing a one-year moratorium on administrative rule making.

    AN ACT Relating to a moratorium on administrative rule making; adding a new section to chapter 34.05 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that:

    (1) The Constitution of the state of Washington provides that the lawmaking power is vested in the legislature and the citizens of the state.

    (2) Agency employees who are writing rules are neither elected nor are they formally accountable to the citizens who must abide by the rules.

    (3) The proliferation of rules causes confusion and frustration for Washington citizens.  It is the intent of the legislature to limit the rule-making authority of agencies by implementing a one-year moratorium on the adoption of any rules.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 34.05 RCW to read as follows:

    No agency may adopt any rules for one year after the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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