BILL REQ. #:  H-2268.2 

READ FIRST TIME 04/03/13.   

     AN ACT Relating to the reporting of highway construction project errors; and adding a new section to chapter 47.01 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall submit a report to the transportation committees of the legislature detailing engineering errors on highway construction projects resulting in project cost increases in excess of five hundred thousand dollars. The department must submit an initial report of an engineering error within thirty days of the engineering error occurring. A full report must be submitted within ninety days of the engineering error occurring.
     (2) The department's full report must include an assessment and review of:
     (a) How the engineering error happened;
     (b) The department of the employee or employees responsible for the engineering error, without disclosing the name of the employee or employees;
     (c) What corrective action was taken;
     (d) The estimated total cost of the engineering error and how the department plans to mitigate that cost;
     (e) Whether the cost of the engineering error will impact the overall project financial plan; and
     (f) What action the secretary has recommended to avoid similar engineering errors in the future. If the legislature finds that the actions taken by the secretary were inadequate, the legislature may take additional action to correct the problem.
     (3) Within ninety days of the effective date of this section, a report must be submitted on engineering errors that have occurred on projects that are currently under construction and not yet operationally complete.