HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 2883

As Passed Legislature

Title: An act relating to government efficiency by eliminating or revising the requirements for state agency reports.

Brief Description: Addressing government efficiency by eliminating or revising the requirements for state agency reports.

Sponsors: Representatives Senn, Chandler and Ormsby; by request of Office of Financial Management.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

State Government: 2/3/16, 2/4/16 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/17/16, 98-0.

Passed Senate: 3/4/16, 44-2.

Passed Legislature.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives S. Hunt, Chair; Bergquist, Vice Chair; Holy, Ranking Minority Member; Van Werven, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Frame, Hawkins and Moscoso.

Staff: Dawn Eychaner (786-7135).

Background:

Agencies, boards, task forces, and other bodies are regularly required to report activities and findings to the Governor and Legislature. While some reports are one-time, others are required on an annual or biennial basis. All reports to the Governor and Legislature must be submitted electronically and be accessible to the public. Some examples include:

• The Apprenticeship and Training Council (ATC) reports annually on opportunities for high school students to transition to local apprenticeship programs.

• The Department of Corrections (DOC) reports on the number of health care visits made by offenders and associated costs.

• The Department of Health (DOH) provides hospitals the opportunity to anonymously evaluate state survey or audit processes and compiles those evaluations into an annual report.

• The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) reports annually on contractors who have failed to register, contractors assessed monetary penalties, and penalties collected and waived. The L&I also reports on business transacted by the department in the preceding fiscal year.

• The Department of Licensing (DOL) reports annually on agent and subagent fees, fee revision recommendations, and other related information.

• The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) reports on blended funding services provided to children.

• The Employment Security Department (ESD) reports annually on the status of the training benefits program and resulting outcomes.

• The Invasive Species Council (ISC) reports annually on activities, including an evaluation of progress made in the preceding year to implement the strategic plan and identifying projects from the plan that will be a focus for the following year.

• The Salmon Recovery Board (SRB) provides an annual list to the Legislature of proposed projects and projects funded.

• The Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) reports information related to audits conducted by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) of WSSDA staff classifications and salaries.

In 1977 the OFM was required to serve as a central clearinghouse for information on boards, commissions, and similar entities in order to provide greater oversight and accountability. The OFM compiles and reports biennially to the Legislature, information for groups whose members are eligible to receive travel expenses for meetings.

Many agencies are required to report certain data to one another on a regular basis. Some examples of inter-agency reports include:

• The Washington State Patrol (WSP) provides the DOL with a cross-reference record of accidents related to individuals who have driving infractions and convictions, including whether the accident resulted in a fatality. The WSP also collects, and reports semiannually to the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC), demographic data related to routine traffic stops.

• State agencies using biodiesel document such fuel use in a biannual report to the DES.

Summary of Engrossed Bill:

The following eight reports to the Legislature are eliminated:

• the DOC report on offender health care visits and costs;

• the DOH report on evaluations by hospitals;

• the L&I reports on contractor violations and annual department business;

• the DOL report on agent and subagent fees;

• the DSHS report on blended funding; and

• the WSSDA report on staff classifications and salaries.

The following four reports to the Legislature are reduced in frequency:

• The ATC high school apprenticeship program report is changed from annual to reporting in years in which grants are awarded.

• The ESD report on the training benefits program is changed from annual to once every five years.

• The ISC annual report is changed to biennial.

• The SRB annual list of proposed and funded projects is eliminated and instead included in the SRB's biennial report.

The following four inter-agency reports are eliminated or reduced in frequency:

• The WSP accident records report to the DOL and the traffic stop demographics report to the Criminal Justice Training Commission are eliminated.

• The requirement for higher education institutions to provide notice to the DES when exercising independent purchasing authority is eliminated.

• State agencies using biodiesel must report to the DES annually instead of biannually.

The OFM requirements to act as a central clearinghouse for information on boards, commissions, councils, and committees; to collect related information from state agencies; and to report to the Legislature biennially on groups whose members are eligible to receive travel expenses, are eliminated.

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) This bill is trying to shrink unnecessary work and make government more efficient. This is a companion to a bill from the Office of Financial Management eliminating old accounts, with the goal of streamlining and creating greater efficiencies.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Senn, prime sponsor; and Scott Merriman, Office of Financial Management.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.