Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Government Operations & Elections Committee

HB 1733

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Sponsors: Representatives Riccelli, Hawkins, Bergquist, Alexander, Fitzgibbon, Buys, Tarleton, Manweller, Vick, Reykdal, Sawyer, Sells, Springer, Ryu, Clibborn, Angel, Jinkins, Maxwell, Pollet, Farrell, Moscoso, Ormsby, Morrell and Magendanz.

Brief Summary of Bill

Makes capital and transportation project appropriation and expenditure data publicly available and easily accessible.
Requires the Office of Financial Management to establish objective and performance measures for capital budget and transportation budget investments.
Requires the Office of Financial Management to publicly report the performance measures.

Background:

Under the State Budget and Accounting Act, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) maintains a comprehensive financial accounting and reporting system for all agencies of state government. This system accounts for revenues, expenditures, receipts, and disbursements, as well as statewide budget information.

The Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program (LEAP) Committee was established in 1977 to be the Legislature's independent source of information and technology. The LEAP Committee provides fiscal information and technology for developing budgets and communicating budget decisions, and tracking revenue, expenditure, and staffing activity.

In 2008 the Legislature directed the OFM to make publicly available a state expenditure information website that contains for the prior fiscal year: (1) state expenditures by fund or account; (2) expenditures by agency, program, and subprogram; (3) state revenues by source; (4) state expenditures by budget object and subobject; and (5) state agency workloads, caseloads, and performance measurements. This information is available on LEAP’s “Washington State Fiscal Information” website.

Summary of Bill:

Current and future capital project and transportation project investments must be made available to the public on the website in an accessible format, i.e., a geographical map where an individual can "click" on a legislative district, county, or agency project and view capital and transportation project appropriation and expenditure data. This data must include the project title, total appropriation, project description, expenditure data, and must identify the administering agency.

The LEAP Committee must test the website with potential users to ensure its accessibility and ease of comprehension.

The OFM must establish objectives and performance measures for capital budget and transportation budget investments. Performance measures must include jobs created or retained, if available. Performance measures may also include habitat restored, schools built or modernized, fish barriers removed, prison beds, higher education facilities built, among other measures. These performance measures must be reported on the website described above.