HOUSE BILL REPORT
SB 5316
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 Reported by House Committee On:
Judiciary
Title: An act relating to the removal of provisions that are no longer necessary for continued publication in the Revised Code of Washington.
Brief Description: Concerning the removal of provisions that are no longer necessary for continued publication in the Revised Code of Washington.
Sponsors: Senators Fortunato, Rossi, Rivers, Miloscia, Padden, Becker, Braun, Angel, Warnick, Schoesler, Brown, Zeiger and Wilson.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Judiciary: 3/9/17, 3/16/17 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Jinkins, Chair; Kilduff, Vice Chair; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Frame, Goodman, Graves, Haler, Hansen, Kirby, Klippert, Orwall and Shea.
Staff: Audrey Frey (786-7289).
Background:
State laws are found in the session laws and in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which is codified and published by the Code Reviser under the supervision of the Statute Law Committee, a legislative agency. The RCW is a codification of all state laws of a general and permanent nature. Laws of a limited or temporary nature are typically not codified.
Decodification. Decodified statutes are removed from publication in the RCW but remain in effect. Decodification is often used to remove language such as effective dates, emergency clauses, or severability clauses from the RCW. Decodified statutes are listed in the RCW dispositions and remain published in session law.
Recodification. Recodification is used to move an RCW section from one chapter to another.
Repeal. Repealed statutes are no longer effective going forward and are removed from publication in the RCW. Repealing a statute is often done to eliminate an authority or directive, or to remove defunct or outdated statutes. For example, statues that mandate reports or tasks that have already been completed, or statutes that contain authority which has not been used for a substantial period of time, can be considered outdated or no longer functional.
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Summary of Bill:
A number of statutes are decodified, recodified, repealed, or amended, including:
decodification of intent sections, codification instructions, effective date clauses, severability clauses, savings clauses, and transfers of functions;
recodification of a section regarding the inspection of public meeting minutes;
repeal of completed reporting requirements, one-time funding disbursements, pilot projects, program function transfers, task forces or boards that no longer exist, and accounts or programs that have been unused for a substantial period; and
amendments to statutes to account for the decodification, recodification, and repeal of other statutes.
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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.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) This bill simply removes a lot of outdated regulations, outdated boards, pilot projects that have already been completed, and references to dates that have already passed. This seems like a little simple bill, but it is important. For example, a bill actually had to be amended on the Senate floor because of a reference to an RCW that was no longer there. This bill helps clean up the statutes. It removes things off the books that are no longer valid, and if court cases arise around any of these statutes, it will help avoid some confusion by clarifying items.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Senator Fortunato, prime sponsor.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.