BILL REQ. #:  S-1030.1 

Read first time 02/03/2003.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     WHEREAS, An independent, creative, and competent legislature distinguishes a democratic system from more authoritarian forms of government; and
     WHEREAS, Questions arise as to whether the Washington state legislature is structurally, operationally, and procedurally satisfactory for resolving today's complex and divisive issues; and
     WHEREAS, In 1970 each legislator represented approximately sixty-nine thousand constituents and today each legislator represents over one hundred twenty thousand constituents; and
     WHEREAS, Legislators tend to regard their own legislature as somehow incomparable, without regard to how the Washington state legislature compares with other state legislatures;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Joint Select Committee on the Evaluation of the Legislature be established to evaluate the legislature's decision-making capabilities based on the following categories:
     Functionality, for example, restrictions on frequency, length, and agendas of sessions, general purpose of staff, facilities, provisions for management and coordination;
     Accountability, for example, explicit rules and procedures, adequacy of information and public access to it, internal accountability;
     Informedness, for example, enough time, standing committees, interim activities, professional staff resources, fiscal review capabilities;
     Independence, for example, frequency and duration of sessions, legislative independence of executive branch, capability for effective oversight of executive operations, interest groups, conflicts of interest; and
     Representativeness, for example, diversity, compensation, number and size of districts; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of sixteen members, four members from each major caucus of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, and four members from each major caucus of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall be cochaired by a member of the committee from the Senate, selected by the members of the committee from the Senate, and a member of the committee from the House of Representatives, selected by the members of the committee from the House of Representatives; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on the Evaluation of the Legislature report to the legislature its preliminary findings by December 31, 2003; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee on the Evaluation of the Legislature report its final findings and recommendations by December 1, 2004; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Select Committee terminate January 31, 2005.