Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Environment Committee

HB 1952

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.

Brief Description: Concerning nonsubstantive changes to programs relevant to the department of ecology designed to create administrative efficiency.

Sponsors: Representatives Tharinger and Upthegrove.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Amends certain programs administered by the Department of Ecology to remove prescriptive program administration and reporting requirements.

Hearing Date:

Staff: Jacob Lipson (786-7196).

Background:

The Department of Ecology (DOE) is responsible for the administration of a long list of statutes that affect the state's environment. The DOE's administrative responsibilities include the management of programs related to air quality, recycling, waste reduction and reuse, hazardous waste, municipal sewage sludge, and used waste oil. Certain DOE agency actions may be appealed to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.

Statutes that establish the DOE's program management responsibilities include a variety of procedural and administrative requirements. Many of these statutes also include since-passed deadlines by which the Department was directed to have achieved certain objectives, include obsolete references to components of program management which have subsequently been changed by more-recently enacted statutes, or include requirements to periodically report to the Legislature or the Governor on the agency's activities.

Summary of Bill:

Programs administered by the DOE are amended to remove prescriptive program administration and reporting requirements, repeal and delete outdated provisions, and make technical changes. Changes are made to the following statutes:

Specific details of the changes include:

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed, except for section 2 which takes effect June 30, 2019.