FINAL BILL REPORT

E2SHB 2617

C 7 L 10 E1

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Eliminating certain boards and commissions.

Sponsors: House Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Representatives Driscoll, Chase, Hunt, Wallace, Williams, Maxwell, White, Kelley, Carlyle, Simpson, Seaquist and Moeller; by request of Governor Gregoire).

House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs

House Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

In 1977 legislation was enacted directing the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to compile and revise, within 90 days after the beginning of each biennium, a list of all permanent and temporary, statutory and non-statutory boards, commissions, councils, committees, and other groups established by the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government and whose members are eligible to receive travel expenses for their meetings. For each board and commission, the OFM list must provide information about: the legal authorization for creation of the group; the number of members and the appointing authority; the number of meetings in the previous biennium; a summary of the group’s primary responsibilities; and the source of funding for the group.

In 1994 new oversight roles for the Governor and the OFM were enacted. For existing boards and commissions, the Governor must review and submit to the Legislature every odd-numbered year a report recommending which boards and commissions should be terminated or consolidated. In making a recommendation, the Governor must consider the following:

• whether the entity completed its work and is no longer of critical significance to effective state government;

• whether the work of the group directly affects public safety, welfare, or health;

• whether the work can be done by another state agency;

• what impact termination will have on costs;

• whether the work can be done by a non-public entity;

• whether termination will result in significant loss of expertise to state government;

• whether termination will result in operational efficiencies other than fiscal; and

• whether the work can be done by an ad hoc committee.

In 2009 legislation was enacted eliminating 18 statutory boards, commissions, councils, and committees, and the Governor eliminated a number of non-statutory entities by executive order.

The Office of Financial Management sets allowances for subsistence, lodging, and travel expenses for persons who are appointed to serve on boards, commissions, or committees. Part-time boards, commissions, councils, and committees are identified as class 1 through class 5 for purposes of setting any additional compensation or allowances.

Summary:

Forty-five statutory boards, commissions, committees, or councils are eliminated. Where appropriate, duties are transferred to the agency that the board, commission, committee, or council advises.

All tangible property in the possession of a terminated entity is transferred to the custody of the entity assuming the responsibilities. If the responsibilities of a terminated entity are also terminated, documents and papers may be delivered to the State Archivist, and equipment or other tangible property to the Department of General Administration. Any contractual rights and duties of the eliminated board, committee, or council are assigned to the entity assuming the responsibilities.

Those boards, commission, councils, or committees eliminated as of June 30, 2010, include:

• Airport Impact Mitigation Advisory Board;

• Basic Health Advisory Committee;

• Boards of Law Enforcement and Correctional Training Standards (2);

• Citizen's Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction;

• Combined Fund Drive Committee;

• Committee on Agency Official's Salaries;

• Community Transition Coordination Networks Advisory Committee;

• Department of Information Services Customer Advisory Board;

• Driver Instructor Advisory Committee (Driver Training School Advisory Committee);

• Emergency Medical Services Licensing and Certification Advisory Committee;

• Employee Retirement Benefits Board;

• Environmental Land Use Hearings Board;

• Family Practice Education Advisory Board;

• Fire Protection Policy Board;

• Forest Fire Advisory Board;

• Hazardous Substance Mixed Waste Advisory Board;

• Health and Welfare Advisory Board and Property and Liability Advisory Board;

• HECB Advisory Council;

• HECB Research Advisory Group;

• Industry Cluster Advisory Committee;

• Integrated Justice Information Board;

• Interagency Integrated Pest Management Coordinating Committee;

• Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee;

• K-20 Educational Network Board;

• K-20 Network Technical Steering Committee;

• Land Bank Technical Advisory Committee;

• Mortgage Broker Commission;

• Oil Spill Advisory Committee;

• Olympic Natural Resources Center Policy Advisory Board;

• On-site Sewage Disposal Systems Alternative Systems Technical Review Committee;

• On-site Wastewater Technical Advisory Committee;

• Pesticide Advisory Board;

• Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking Review Panel;

• Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Advisory Board;

• Revenue-Simplified Sales and Use Tax Administrative Advisory Group;

• Solid Waste Advisory Committee;

• Special License Plate Review Board;

• State Board on Geographic Names;

• Strategic Health Care Planning Office Technical Advisory Committee;

• Veteran's Innovation Program Board; and

• Washington Main Street Advisory Committee.

The Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission and the Western States School Bus Safety Commission are eliminated as of June 30, 2011. The Women's History Consortium Board of Advisors is maintained as a statutory committee but is limited to two meetings a year. If money is not available it may meet voluntarily. Members are appointed by the Director of the State Historical Society. The Title and Registration Advisory Committee and the Water Supply Advisory Committee are eliminated as of the effective date of this act. The Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking Review Panel is eliminated but its duties remain in statute.

Beginning July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, members of boards, commissions, councils, or committees identified as class 1 through class 3 and class 5 groups may not receive allowances for subsistence, lodging, and travel if these costs are funded by the State General Fund. All classes are directed to use methods of conducting meetings that do not require members to travel and to use state facilities for meetings that require members to physically be present. Those boards, commissions, councils, or committees funded by sources other than the State General Fund are encouraged to reduce travel, lodging, and other costs.

Votes on Final Passage:

First Special Session