HOUSE BILL REPORT
SHB 1886
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. |
As Passed House:
March 6, 2013
Title: An act relating to the recoverable costs of the department of agriculture under chapter 16.36 RCW
Brief Description: Concerning the recoverable costs of the department of agriculture under chapter 16.36 RCW.
Sponsors: House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Chandler and Haigh).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Agriculture & Natural Resources: 2/19/13, 2/21/13 [DPS].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/6/13, 97-0.
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES |
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Blake, Chair; Lytton, Vice Chair; Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; MacEwen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Buys, Dunshee, Haigh, Hurst, Kretz, Orcutt, Pettigrew, Schmick, Stanford, Van De Wege and Warnick.
Staff: Cherlyn Walden (786-7296).
Background:
The Washington State Department of Agriculture is permitted to collect money to recover the reasonable costs of purchasing, printing, and distributing official individual identification devices or methods, regulatory forms, and other supplies as it pertains to the inspection, transport, and health of animals.
The funds recovered must be deposited in the Animal Disease Traceability Account in the Agricultural Local Fund, and may be used to carry out animal disease traceability activities for cattle and to compensate data and fee collection costs.
Summary of Substitute Bill:
The Washington State Department of Agriculture is permitted to recover costs for data entry and processing related to animal health documents that facilitate disease control and traceability.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) Livestock and dairy are two key industries that make up Washington's agriculture industry. Data entry is one piece in the big picture of animal disease traceability. While it is very important to those industries that we have a robust animal identification program, the question of how to equitably distribute the costs associated with the data entry of regulatory forms needs to be addressed. Currently, documents are submitted to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (Department) in paper form, and there is a strong desire to make the move to electronic forms. The basis of this bill is to provide a financial incentive to move producers and practitioners toward electronic form data entry and processing, thus removing the duplicative human element. The Department has been working with producers and will soon have some electronic form submission available for use, such as the Certificate for Veterinary Inspective. This bill is a common sense step forward that will keep costs down.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Jack Field, Washington Cattlemen's Association; Mark Streuli, Washington State Department of Agriculture; and Tom Davis, Washington Farm Bureau.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.