SENATE BILL REPORT

ESB 5995

As Amended by House, April 26, 2009

Title: An act relating to eliminating certain boards, committees, and commissions and the transfer of certain duties effective June 30, 2009.

Brief Description: Eliminating certain boards, committees, and commissions and the transfer of certain duties.

Sponsors: Senators Pridemore, Schoesler and Honeyford; by request of Governor Gregoire.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/23/09, 2/24/09 [DPS, DNP].

Passed Senate: 4/23/09, 48-0.Passed House: 4/26/09, 95-0.

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5995 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Oemig, Vice Chair; McDermott, Pridemore and Swecker.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

Signed by Senator Roach, Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Sharon Swanson (786-7447)

Background: Boards, commissions, councils, and advisory committees (boards) fill a variety of roles. For example, some are responsible for licensing various activities, while others advise state agencies in matters ranging from procedure to technology. Often boards are created as a requirement for a federal grant. Some boards receive staff support from an agency. Members of some boards receive travel compensation and reimbursement from an agency.

Boards can be created in four ways:

1. by general statute giving an agency authority to create a board for one or more purposes;

2. by specific statute naming the board as well as its purpose, powers, and duties;

3. by executive order of the Governor; or

4. by order of the Supreme Court.

On December 16, 2008, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) released the revised version of a report entitled "Review of Boards and Commissions: Pre-Audit." The JLARC report identified 470 boards and commissions currently operating, or not known to have been disbanded.

By January 8 of every odd-numbered year, the Governor must submit to the Legislature a report recommending which boards and commissions should be terminated or consolidated. The report must include executive request legislation implementing the recommendations of the report.

Summary of Engrossed Bill: The following boards and commissions are suspended until July 1, 2011:

• Affordable Housing Advisory Board;

• State Council on Aging;

• Agricultural Burning Practices & Research Task Force;

• American Indian Endowed Scholarship Advisory & Selection Committee;

• Auto Theft Prevention Authority (duties temporarily assumed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs);

• Birth to Six Interagency Coordinating Council;

• Career and Technical Education Curricula Advisory Committee;

• Child Care Facility Fund Committee;

• Child Support Guidelines & Report Review Work Group;

• Children's Services Advisory Committee;

• City and County Design Standards;

• Collection Agency Board;

• Committee on Legislative Old Timers Events;

• Community Transition Coordination Networks Advisory Committee;

• Office of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Advisory Committee;

• Drop-out Prevention State-Level Leadership Group;

• Economic Services Advisory Committee;

• Education Ombudsman Appointment Committee;

• Enhanced 911 Advisory Committee;

• Factory Assembled Structures Advisory Board;

• Family to Family Advisory Group, Region 3;

• Financial Literacy Public-Private Partnership;

• Hanford Area Economic Investment Fund Committee;

• Health Insurance Partnership Board;

• Health Professional Loan Repayment & Scholarship Advisory Committee;

• Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee;

• Joint Committee on Energy Supply;

• Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought;

• Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Trade Policy;

• Joint Legislative Task Force on Family Leave Insurance;

• Joint Legislative Task Force on Underground Economy in the Construction Industry;

• Joint Select Committee on Beer and Wine Regulation;

• Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board;

• Mathematics Advisory Panel & Science Advisory Panel;

• Medal of Merit Committee;

• Medicaid School Administrative Match Advisory Committee;

• Missing & Exploited Children Advisory Task Force;

• Oil Spill Advisory Council;

• Pacific Northwest Economic Region Delegate Council and Executive Committee;

• Select Committee on Pension Policy;

• Performance Agreement Committee;

• Private School Advisory Committee;

• Public Stadium Authority Advisory Committee;

• Recreation on State Trust Lands Work Group;

• Rehabilitation Council for the Department of Services for the Blind;

• Scholars Advisory & Selection Committee;

• School Bus Equipment & Specifications Committee;

• School Facilities Citizen Advisory Panel;

• Small Business Export Financial Assistance Center Board;

• State Medal of Valor Committee;

• State-Level Leadership Group;

• Survey Advisory Board; and

• Task Force on Statewide Protocols for Dissolution Cases.

The following boards and commissions are consolidated:

• the duties of the HIV Policy Collaborative are assumed by the HIV/AIDS Education Program Review Panel;

• the duties of the Traumatic Brain Injury Grant Advisory Board are assumed by the Traumatic Brain Injury Council; and

• the duties of the Veterans Innovations Program Board are assumed by the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee.

The following boards and commissions are eliminated on June 30, 2009:

• Acupuncture Ad Hoc Committee;

• Adult Family Home Advisory Committee;

• Boarding Home Advisory Board;

• Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction;

• Citizens' Work Group on Health Care Reform;

• Commission on Equipment;

• Displaced Homemaker Program Statewide Advisory Committee;

• Escrow Commission;

• Firearms Range Advisory Committee;

• Foster Care Endowed Scholarship Advisory Board;

• Higher Education Coordinating Board – Work Study;

• Horse Park Authority;

• Joint Legislative Task Force on School Construction Funding;

• Main Street Advisory Committee;

• Model Toxic Control Act Science Advisory Board;

• Mortgage Brokers;

• Oil Heat Advisory Committee;

• Parks Centennial Advisory Committee;

• Prescription Drug Purchasing Consortium Advisory Commission;

• Radiologic Technologists Ad Hoc Committee;

• Risk Management Advisory Committee;

• Securities Advisory Committee;

• Sexual Offender Treatment Providers Advisory Committee;

• Study Committee on Public Infrastructure Programs and Funding Structures;

• Vendor Rates Advisory Committee; and

• Western States School Bus Safety Commission.

The following boards and commissions are eliminated on June 30, 2010:

• Advisory Council on Adult Education;

• Airport Impact Mitigation Advisory Board;

• Athletic Training Advisory Committee;

• Basic Health Advisory Committee;

• Boards of Law Enforcement Training Standards and Board on Correctional Training Standards;

• Children and Families with Incarcerated Parents (aka Children of Incarcerated Parents Advisory Committee);

• Children of Incarcerated Parents Advisory Committee (aka Children and Families with Incarcerated Parents);

• Children's Services Advisory Committee;

• Combined Fund Drive Committee (duties assumed by the Department of Personnel);

• Committee on Agency Officials Salaries (duties assumed by Department of Personnel);

• Customer Advisory Board of the Department of Information Services (duties assumed by Office of Financial Management);

• Early Intervention for Children who are Deaf or have Hearing Loss Advisory Committee;

• Eastern State Hospital Board and Western State Hospital Board;

• Fire Protection Policy Board (duties assumed by Office of State Fire Marshall and Director of Fire Protection);

• Hazardous Substance Mixed Waste Advisory Board;

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

• Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board;

• Higher Education Coordinating Board Advisory Council;

• Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board (duties assumed by Department of Licensing);

• Industry Cluster Advisory Committee;

• Integrated Justice Information Board;

• K-20 Educational Network Board and K-20 Network Technical Steering Committee (duties assumed by Department of Information Services);

• Livestock Identification Advisory Board;

• McNeil Island Secure Community Transition Facility Operational Advisory Board;

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

• On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems Advisory Committee;

• Organized Crime Advisory Board (duties assumed by Washington State Patrol);

• Orthotic and Prosthetics Advisory Committee;

• Oversight Committee on Character-Building Residential Services in Prisons;

• Real Estate Appraiser Commission;

• Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Advisory Board;

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

• State Solid Waste Advisory Committee;

• Water Supply Advisory Committee; and

• Well Drilling Technical Advisory Group.

By July 1, 2010, the Governor must recommend to the Legislature which other boards and commissions should continue receiving state funding and which should be eliminated or suspended.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on June 30, 2009.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill is a part of the Governor's government reform approach. There are multiple approaches moving forward during the session. The discussion has proven valuable and we look forward to finding consensus.

CON: Please keep the Council on Children and Families. Evidence-based visiting is one of the most effective programs. New federal legislation needs this group. Please keep the Family Policy Council and the community networks. The community networks provide unique services for their communities. The Ferry Advisory Committee does not cost anything, and there will be more cost without it. Please keep the Athletic Training Advisory Committee. Please keep the Expert Panel on Infection Control. The Escrow Commission advises the Department of Financial Institutions on many things, such as the licensing exam. They also assist with audits and investigations. The commission is currently meeting by conference call. Blanket elimination is not prudent. The Motorcycle Safety Education Advisory Board is revenue-neutral. This is the best motorcycle safety and education group in the country and saves many lives. The members of the Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction are volunteers. There is a federal block grant that requires yearly independent peer review. Expenses for this group were less than $10,000 for travel and time. Go ahead and eliminated the Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking Panel.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Robin Arnold-Williams, Governor's Office.

CON: Heather Hanson, Washington Friends of Farms and Forests; Teresa Mosqueda, Childrens Alliance; Mary Ann Murphy, Partners with Families and Children; Linda Clark, Family Education and Support Services; Janet Maxwell, Clark County Community Network; Kristin Rogers, Nurse-Family Partnership; Alan Mendel, Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC); Walt Elliot, Executive Council of FAC; Elizabeth Haeck, Cowlitz Community Network; Tammy Putvin, Labyrinth Living Private Counseling; Lisa Thatcher, Washington State Hospital Association; Tamara Warnke, Escrow Association of Washington; Larry Walker, Washington Road Riders Association; Dennis Daugs, Seatac Escrow; Phillip Gonzalest, CAE.

House Amendment(s):

• Adds the intent that the Legislature, during the interim, will identify criteria to evaluate advisory boards, committees, and commissions that may be eliminated or consolidated.

• Removes the requirement directing the Governor to develop recommendations to the Legislature regarding the suspension and termination of other boards and commissions.

• Deletes all sections of the senate bill that eliminate or suspend boards, commissions, and committees except the sections eliminating the following:

  • The Acupuncture Ad Hoc Committee;

  • Adult Family Home Advisory Committee;

  • Boarding Home Advisory Committee;

  • Citizens' Work Group on Health Care Reform;

  • Displaced Homemaker Program Statewide Advisory Committee;

  • Foster Care Endowed Scholarship Advisory Board;

  • Higher Education Coordinating Board Work Study Advisory Committee;

  • Model Toxics Control Act Science Advisory Board;

  • Oil Heat Advisory Committee;

  • Organized Crime Advisory Board;

  • Oversight Committee on Character-Building Residential Services in Prisons;

  • Parks Centennial Advisory Committee;

  • Prescription Drug Purchasing Consortium Advisory Commission;

  • Radiologic Technologists Ad Hoc Committee;

  • Risk Management Advisory Committee;

  • Securities Advisory Committee;

  • Sexual Offender Treatment Providers Advisory Committee; and

  • Vendor Rates Advisory Committee.