SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6426

As Passed Senate, February 10, 2010

Title: An act relating to eliminating boards and commissions.

Brief Description: Eliminating certain boards and commissions.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Prentice and Tom; by request of Governor Gregoire).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 2/08/10, 2/09/10 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/10/10, 46-3.

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6426 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Tom, Vice Chair, Operating Budget; Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Carrell, Fairley, Hewitt, Honeyford, Kline, Murray, Parlette, Rockefeller and Schoesler.

Staff: Steve Jones (786-7440)

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 Substitute Bill: The following boards and commissions are suspended until July 1, 2012:

• Affordable Housing Advisory Board;

• State Council on Aging;

• 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;

• 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.

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.

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

The following boards and commissions are eliminated:

• Adult Family Home Advisory Committee;

• Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction;

• Citizens' Work Group on Health Care Reform;

• Commission on Vehicle Equipment Safety;

• Escrow Commission;

• Firearms Range Advisory Committee;

• Horse Park Authority;

• Joint Legislative Task Force on School Construction Funding;

• Main Street Advisory Committee;

• Mortgage Broker Commission;

• Study Committee on Public Infrastructure Programs and Funding Structures;

• Western States School Bus Safety Commission;

• 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);

• 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;

• 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);

• 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;

• Orthotic and Prosthetics Advisory Committee;

• Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Advisory Board;

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

• Water Supply Advisory Committee;

• Well Drilling Technical Advisory Group; and

• Title and Registration Advisory Committee.

By July 1, 2011, the Governor must make further recommendations to the Legislature on the suspension or elimination of state boards and commissions.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: The bill contains several effective dates. Please refer to the bill.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: OTHER: Please retain the Council for Children & Families, the Children Services Advisory Committee, the Advisory Council on Adult Education, the Workforce Customer Advisory Committee, the EMS & Trauma Care Steering Committee, the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board, the Escrow Commission, the Fire Protection Policy Board, the Livestock Identification Advisory Board, the Regional Fish Enhancement Group Advisory Board, and the Home Inspectors Advisory Licensing Board.

Persons Testifying: OTHER: Kathleen Drew, Governor's Policy Office; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; Robb Menaul, Washington State Hospital Association; Susie Tracy, Washington State Medical Association; Bob Maruska, Capital Projects Advisory Review Board, Tami Warnke, Escrow Association of Washington; TJ Hedrow, Washington State Firefighters Association; Terry Kohl, American Society of Home Inspectors; Paul Ancich, Regional Fish Enhancement Group Coalition; Jack Field, Washington Cattlemen's Association.