AN ACT Relating to efficiency in the operation of public ports; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) There is hereby created a temporary commission to be known as the Washington state commission for efficiency and accountability in public port operations, hereafter referred to as the commission.

(2) The commission shall consist of fourteen members as follows:

(a) Six members appointed by the governor including but not limited to representatives from port districts, private sector business and industry, labor unions, and public interest organizations;

(b) Three members appointed jointly by the president of the senate and speaker of the house including but not limited to representatives from port districts, private sector business and industry, labor unions, and public interest organizations;

(c) One representative from each of the four legislative caucuses to be appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house; and

(d) The governor shall be a member and the chair of the commission.

The vice-chair shall be selected by the commission.

(3) Nonlegislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses for attending meetings of the commission as provided for in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. Legislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses for attending meetings of the commission as provided for in RCW 44.04.120.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The commission shall develop recommendations for legislative and executive consideration that will:

(1) Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of public port operations and reduce costs;

(2) Enhance executive accountability and the organizational soundness of public ports;

(3) Enhance legislative oversight and public port accountability; and

(4) Improve managerial competence and workforce productivity.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. To carry out section 2 of this act, the commission shall:

(1) Prepare a list of public port activities that will be subject to review by the commission. The list shall include activities that have a major fiscal impact on the state and where the commission determines that operational and organizational improvements are feasible. The reviews shall concentrate on identifying improvements that will result in increased port efficiency and effectiveness and reduced costs, greater accountability to the general public, increased information and data relative to public port operations and expenditures, and increased managerial competence and workforce productivity.

(2) Develop a four-year plan for the orderly review of each type of activity identified under subsection (1) of this section. The plan shall contain a timetable for the completion of review of each activity and an estimate of the resources needed to carry out the reviews. The plan shall be updated annually.

(3) Establish the scope of the activity reviews, select review teams and direct those teams to conduct the reviews identified by the commission. The review teams shall report to the commission their findings and recommendations for organizational and operational improvements.

(4) Decide upon recommendations for executive action or legislation necessary to implement the operational or organizational improvements developed by the review teams.

(6) Submit the following reports to the legislature:

(a) By December 31, 1988, a four-year plan required by subsection (2) of this section;

(b) Upon completion of each review, its recommendations for operational and organizational improvements for the activity reviewed. The report shall include estimates of savings which may result from recommended legislative or executive action.

(c) By December 31, 1989, a report summarizing recommendations of the commission for legislative and executive actions to accomplish operational and organizational improvements identified in completed activity reviews and any executive action initiated as a result of findings of an activity review. Thereafter, the commission shall report to the legislature annually, no later than December 31, on its progress toward completing the four-year review plan and on its recommendations for operational and organizational improvements in public port operations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) It is the intent of the legislature that the review activities of the commission be funded, to the extent practicable, by contributions received from the private sector. The office of financial management and the legislature shall provide staff as required by the commission for developing the plan for proper reviews and undertaking such reviews. To the extent permitted by law, all port districts and agencies of the state shall cooperate fully with the commission in carrying out its duties under this act.

(2) The commission may receive and expend gifts, grants, and endowments from private sources to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The commission may contract for such services as are necessary to supplement the staff as provided in section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act shall expire December 31, 1992.