AN ACT Relating to establishing a task force to examine state and local regulations that affect small businesses; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

(i) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate; and

(ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

(b) The task force shall choose a chair or cochairs, at its discretion, from among its legislative membership at its initial meeting. The initial meeting must be called by agreement of a majority of the appointed members.

(2) The task force must:

(a) Identify the various state and local regulatory schemes that affect small businesses;

(b) Analyze the process and frequency by which those regulatory agencies receive input from small businesses, both at the time of and after rule adoption;

(c) Analyze existing regulatory schemes that affect small businesses for opportunities for regulatory streamlining or permit consolidation that will increase efficiencies and decrease costs for small businesses and state and local government while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the regulatory scheme;

(d) Analyze relevant state and local rules and policies affecting small businesses for ways to provide small businesses with easier access to rules and policies, improve awareness, improve readability and understanding, and help reduce compliance costs; and

(e) Provide any recommendations identified by the task force that involve statutory changes, funding recommendations, or administrative action to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives. If statutory changes are recommended, the task force must provide the recommendations in the form of draft legislation. Task force recommendations require the approval of a majority of the appointed members.

(3) The task force must hold at least two meetings, with at least one meeting east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and at least one meeting west of the crest of the Cascade mountains. In addition to hearing from invited presenters and issue area experts, the task force must ensure that it provides ample opportunity for input from: Interested stakeholders, including small businesses from a variety of industries; statewide organizations representing business and labor interests; relevant state agencies; the governor's office for regulatory innovation and assistance; and members of the public.

(4) Staff support for the task force must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research. The governor's office for regulatory innovation and assistance, and other relevant state agencies identified by the task force during the course of its work, must cooperate with the task force and provide information and assistance at the request of the task force.

(5) Legislative members of the task force must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120.

(6) Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.

(7) By November 1, 2015, and consistent with RCW 43.01.036, the task force must provide recommendations as described under subsection (2) of this section.

(8) This section expires June 30, 2016.

--- END ---