HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2557

As Reported by House Committee On:

Community & Economic Development & Trade

Title: An act relating to correcting references regarding the department of commerce.

Brief Description: Correcting references regarding the department of commerce.

Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Chase and Goodman; by request of Statute Law Committee.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Community & Economic Development & Trade: 1/20/10, 2/1/10 [DPS].

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Kenney, Chair; Maxwell, Vice Chair; Smith, Ranking Minority Member; Chase, Liias, Moeller, Orcutt and Probst.

Staff: Meg Van Schoorl (786-7105).

Background:

In 2009 legislation was enacted to create the Department of Commerce. The legislation changed a number of statutory references from the "Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (DCTED)" to the "Department of Commerce (Department)," and directed the Code Reviser to prepare legislation for the 2010 regular session changing all statutory references to the Department in the same manner.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

References to the DCTED are replaced by references to the Department of Commerce in chapters pertaining to, among others:

• the Washington Technology Center;

• Washington State University Small Business Development Center, and IMPACT Center;

• city utility services, affordable housing, public corporations, and fire protection services for state owned facilities;

• growth management planning by selected counties and cities;

• individual development accounts;

• incarcerated parents, community action agencies, nonresidential youth services facilities, and the Building Communities Fund;

• projects of statewide significance;

• the Economic Development Commission;

• the Small Business Incubator program;

• the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and industry skills panels;

• Community Mobilization Against Substance Abuse;

• community treatment services for victims of sex offenders;

• federally assisted housing; and

• the Housing Finance Commission.

A number of statutes that required reports, studies, tasks and other deliverables by certain statutory deadlines that have passed are decodified. The 2009 statute that created the Department of Commerce, required a report to the Legislature by November 1, 2009, and replaced references to the DCTED by the Department of Commerce in a number of statutes is repealed.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill removes several provisions relating to the State Building Code Council, the Municipal Research Council, the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, and assistance to public county health that were inconsistent with SHB 2658 (refocusing the Department).

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill was brought forward as requested by the Legislature to make references to the "Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development" consistent with the Legislature's change of the agency name to the "Department of Commerce" in 2009.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Kyle Thiessen, Code Reviser.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.