H-3469.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2583

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By Representatives Morris, Reardon, Haigh, Linville, Grant, Gombosky, Quall, Hatfield, Kessler, Anderson, Miloscia and Nixon

Read first time 01/22/2002.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Establishing a permitting bill of rights.

    AN ACT Relating to a permitting bill of rights; and adding a new section to chapter 1.20 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 1.20 RCW to read as follows:

    The legislature finds that uncertainty in government processes to permit an activity by a citizen of Washington state is undesirable and erodes confidence in government.

    Citizens of the state of Washington have the following rights when asked for a permit, license, or permission to engage in a lawful activity:

    (1) Right to a specific date in time for a yes or no decision on permits;

    (2) Right to a defined amount of information required to award permit by permitting authority before any application for permits can be accepted;

    (3) Right to know the exact maximum amount of costs in fees, studies, or public processes that will be incurred by the permit applicant;

    (4) Right to recover all costs and time lost in permitting processes from permitting authorities for transgressions or violations or abuse of authority in the rights set forth in this section, through civil process.

    These rights apply to permits, licenses, or other legal activity granting devices from all government entities chartered in the state of Washington for all laws or rules adopted after July 1, 2002, or all laws or rules changed or amended after July 1, 2002.

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