HB 1517-S3 - DIGEST

(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 2/14/02)

     Directs each state agency to develop and implement a quality management program to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the public services it provides through business process redesign, employee involvement, and other quality management techniques.  Each agency shall ensure that front line agency employees are engaged in the program and shall provide employees with the training necessary to successful implementation of efforts toward quality improvement.

     Requires each agency to ensure that its quality management program:  (1) Identifies immediate-term and near-term opportunities to improve services and reduce costs;

     (2) Identifies goals and utilizes strategic business planning and performance measures to establish priorities and measure progress toward meeting them.  Each state agency shall develop performance measures to assess customer satisfaction, agency progress toward accomplishing outcomes specified in the agency budget under RCW 43.88.090, and the impact of initiatives instituted under the quality management program as a whole;

     (3) Reports the results of its quality management program on a regular basis;

     (4) Evaluates the results of its quality, service, and management improvement programs and assesses program effects upon leadership, information and analysis, strategic planning, human resource development and management, process improvement, business results, and customer focus and satisfaction; and

     (5) Develops a plan for quality improvement, documenting efforts made up to the date of the report and addressing all matters enumerated in this act.

     Provides that both houses of the legislature shall develop and implement quality improvement programs as described under this act by June 30, 2003, but shall report the results of these efforts to the leadership of each major political party caucus within its house.

     Encourages the supreme court to develop and implement quality improvement programs for the judicial branch of government, by June 30, 2003, but shall report the results of these efforts to the chief justice.  The programs may be implemented directly by the supreme court or may be delegated to the administrator for the courts.