BILL REQ. #:  H-0442.1 

Read first time 02/14/11.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to reporting agreements between state agencies and the federal government; adding a new section to chapter 43.88 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature is responsible for the oversight and control of the state budget as it applies to the various state agencies. The legislature finds that state agencies regularly enter into a wide variety of agreements with the federal government, requiring the commitment of state resources, but that are neither reviewed nor expressly approved by the legislature. Accordingly, a statutory mechanism is needed to provide the legislature with comprehensive information regarding these federal agreements in order to enable the legislature to monitor and evaluate the budgetary and fiscal impacts of the agreements, as well as their policy implications. This act provides a statutory framework for ongoing legislative oversight of the agreements between state agencies and the federal government and will thus enable the legislature to better exercise its authority to review and control the expenditure of state resources.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.88 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) On or before November 1, 2011, and not later than November 1st each year thereafter, each state agency shall submit a written report to the speaker and minority leader of the Washington house of representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the Washington senate, and the governor, providing a comprehensive, detailed description of every agreement between the agency and the federal government. At minimum, the report must contain the following information:
     (a) The type of agreement, including a comprehensive description of its contents;
     (b) The purposes, goals, and public benefits to be derived from the agreement;
     (c) A detailed description, including the dollar amounts, of any grants, funds, revenues, or fiscal impacts likely to result from the agreement;
     (d) The identification of the specific statute, rule, or constitutional provision providing the legal basis for the agreement;
     (e) The identification of the specific agencies, both state and federal, entering into the agreement; and
     (f) The identification of every state officer, employee, or other state agent participating in the creation, negotiation, or approval of the agreement.
     (2) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.
     (a) "Agency" means and includes every state office, officer, and employee, and every institution, department, board, and commission.
     (b) "Agreement" means any contract, agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other arrangement between a state agency and the federal government that requires an agency or other state governmental entity to take action or otherwise expend state resources in order to comply with the terms of the agreement.      
     (3) This section applies to all agreements in effect as of the effective date of this section and to all agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2011.