BILL REQ. #: S-4561.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/07/12.
AN ACT Relating to restructuring state government; amending RCW 42.30.110; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 42.56 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 44.04 RCW
to read as follows:
(1)(a) The agency reallocation and realignment of Washington
(ARROW) commission on restructuring state government is established,
with members as provided in this subsection.
The commission shall be comprised of eight members, four of the
appointees shall be former statewide officials and four shall have
executive management experience. Selection for the eight members shall
be as follows:
(i) Each caucus in both houses of the legislature shall appoint one
former statewide official and nominate three individuals with executive
management experience.
(ii) The governor shall appoint one of the nominees from each
caucus to fill the remaining four positions on the commission.
(iii) Any member that resigns from or declines initial appointment
to the commission shall be replaced using the same selection criteria
and procedures under (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection.
(iv) The governor shall fill any open position on the commission if
a member has not been appointed to or nominated for the position by a
caucus within forty-five days from: (A) The effective date of this
section; or (B) the position becoming vacant.
(b) The commission shall choose its chair from among its
membership. The president of the senate shall convene the initial
meeting of the commission and shall preside until a chair is chosen.
(2) The commission shall:
(a) Review budget, revenue, and caseload forecasts and estimates
over the ensuing six-year period;
(b) Examine current subsidies and tax breaks for effectiveness and
fulfillment of original intent. Additionally, the commission shall
evaluate whether or not current subsidies, tax breaks, and economic
policies create economic development and employment opportunities,
achieve the state's goals, and whether there is a less costly way to
achieve the same, or better, outcome;
(c) Examine current operations and organization of state government
assuming no expansion of current funding sources;
(d) Evaluate operational and organizational restructuring
possibilities to find cost savings and efficiencies in order to
maintain or enhance governmental functions with fewer resources;
(e) Submit an initial report to the legislature that includes
recommendations for alignment of revenue and expenditures over the next
six-year period.
(3) The commission may make proposals to:
(a) Adopt methods and procedures for reducing expenditures to the
lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential
services, activities, and functions;
(b) Eliminate duplication and overlapping of services, activities,
and functions, and time-consuming or wasteful practices;
(c) Consolidate services, activities, and functions of a similar
nature;
(d) Abolish services, activities, and functions not necessary to
the efficient operation of government;
(e) Eliminate unnecessary state departments and agencies, create
necessary new state departments and agencies, reorganize existing state
departments and agencies, and transfer functions and responsibilities
among state departments and agencies;
(f) Define or redefine the duties and responsibilities of state
officers;
(g) Revise present provisions for continuing or permanent
appropriations of state funds of whatever kind for whatever purpose,
eliminate any such existing provisions, and adopt new provisions.
(4)(a) The commission shall employ an executive director. The
executive director shall serve as chief executive officer of the
commission and shall employ such personnel as may be necessary to
implement the purposes of this section, utilize staff of existing
agencies to the fullest extent possible, and employ outside consulting
and service agencies when appropriate, under the direction of the
commission.
(b) The executive director shall appoint necessary staff who shall
be exempt from the provisions of chapter 41.06 RCW. The executive
director's appointees shall serve at the executive director's pleasure
on such terms and conditions as the executive director determines, but
subject to chapter 42.52 RCW.
(c) The executive director shall exercise such additional powers as
may be delegated by the commission.
(5) Commissioners are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses
in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(6) The expenses of the commission must be paid out of funds
appropriated to the commission.
(7) The commission shall submit an annual report to the legislature
beginning in 2013 and until 2016, and then by the first year of each
biennium thereafter. The report shall include the commission's
findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation. The commission
may not issue majority and minority reports.
(8)(a) The proposed legislation must be introduced as a bill in
each house and put before each chamber.
(b) Any amendment must be approved by an affirmative vote in each
house of two-thirds of the members elected or appointed thereto.
(c) If rejected, the bill must be returned to the commission
detailing in specificity the reason or reasons for such rejection.
(d) Sufficient time must be allocated to allow a bill to pass both
houses before final adjournment of the legislature.
Sec. 2 RCW 42.30.110 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 14 s 14 are each
amended to read as follows:
(1) Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to prevent
a governing body from holding an executive session during a regular or
special meeting:
(a) To consider matters affecting national security;
(b) To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real
estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such
consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price;
(c) To consider the minimum price at which real estate will be
offered for sale or lease when public knowledge regarding such
consideration would cause a likelihood of decreased price. However,
final action selling or leasing public property shall be taken in a
meeting open to the public;
(d) To review negotiations on the performance of publicly bid
contracts when public knowledge regarding such consideration would
cause a likelihood of increased costs;
(e) To consider, in the case of an export trading company,
financial and commercial information supplied by private persons to the
export trading company;
(f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against
a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such
officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public
shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge;
(g) To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public
employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However,
subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of
salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally
applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public,
and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting
the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or
discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in
a meeting open to the public;
(h) To evaluate the qualifications of a candidate for appointment
to elective office. However, any interview of such candidate and final
action appointing a candidate to elective office shall be in a meeting
open to the public;
(i) To discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters
relating to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal
counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to
which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official
capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge
regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or
financial consequence to the agency.
This subsection (1)(i) does not permit a governing body to hold an
executive session solely because an attorney representing the agency is
present. For purposes of this subsection (1)(i), "potential
litigation" means matters protected by RPC 1.6 or RCW 5.60.060(2)(a)
concerning:
(i) Litigation that has been specifically threatened to which the
agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity
is, or is likely to become, a party;
(ii) Litigation that the agency reasonably believes may be
commenced by or against the agency, the governing body, or a member
acting in an official capacity; or
(iii) Litigation or legal risks of a proposed action or current
practice that the agency has identified when public discussion of the
litigation or legal risks is likely to result in an adverse legal or
financial consequence to the agency;
(j) To consider, in the case of the state library commission or its
advisory bodies, western library network prices, products, equipment,
and services, when such discussion would be likely to adversely affect
the network's ability to conduct business in a competitive economic
climate. However, final action on these matters shall be taken in a
meeting open to the public;
(k) To consider, in the case of the state investment board,
financial and commercial information when the information relates to
the investment of public trust or retirement funds and when public
knowledge regarding the discussion would result in loss to such funds
or in private loss to the providers of this information;
(l) To consider proprietary or confidential nonpublished
information related to the development, acquisition, or implementation
of state purchased health care services as provided in RCW 41.05.026;
(m) To consider in the case of the life sciences discovery fund
authority, the substance of grant applications and grant awards when
public knowledge regarding the discussion would reasonably be expected
to result in private loss to the providers of this information;
(n) To consider in the case of a health sciences and services
authority, the substance of grant applications and grant awards when
public knowledge regarding the discussion would reasonably be expected
to result in private loss to the providers of this information;
(o) To consider in the case of innovate Washington, the substance
of grant or loan applications and grant or loan awards if public
knowledge regarding the discussion would reasonably be expected to
result in private loss to the providers of this information;
(p) To consider, in the case of the agency reallocation and
realignment of Washington commission, the recommendations of the
commission.
(2) Before convening in executive session, the presiding officer of
a governing body shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the
public from the meeting place, and the time when the executive session
will be concluded. The executive session may be extended to a stated
later time by announcement of the presiding officer.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 42.56 RCW
to read as follows:
Documents, materials, and information that show an opinion of a
member of the agency reallocation and realignment of Washington
commission are subject to the provisions of RCW 42.56.280.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.