HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2323

BYRepresentatives Pruitt, Sprenkle, Silver, Phillips, Morris, R. Fisher, G. Fisher, Rayburn, Brumsickle, Fraser, Anderson, H. Myers, Rust, R. Meyers, Dorn, Rector, Basich, Kremen, Todd, Winsley, Schoon, Wolfe, Cooper, Inslee and Kirby

Increasing governmental accountability.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Todd, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; R. Fisher, Hankins, R. King, Morris, O'Brien and Silver.

House Staff:Barbara McLain (786-7135)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass.  (24)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Sayan.

House Staff:      Susan Nakagawa (786-7145)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 5, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Planning and Program Evaluation.  Strategic planning and evaluation of state programs is generally decentralized and informal.  Agencies evaluate some programs and may conduct internal strategic planning.  They are also required to prepare goals and objectives, along with workload indicators, as part of the budget process. 

The Washington State Commission for Efficiency and Accountability in Government (Efficiency Commission) was established in 1987 to conduct reviews of major programs and make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state government.  Since its creation, the commission has studied the Liquor Control Board, the state personnel system, and the state motor pool, among other areas. 

In the legislative branch, the Legislative Budget Committee prepares program and fiscal reviews of agencies under the Sunset Law and is frequently assigned other program evaluation tasks.  The Senate Select Committee on Washington 2000 is setting up a data base of research on major issues to facilitate strategic planning on legislative policy.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Legislature finds that it must:  ensure a greater degree of government accountability to restore public confidence;  develop long-range planning structures to cope with today's society; and develop a dynamic vision, goals, and priorities to guide policy decisions. 

Planning and Program Evaluation.  The Washington State Commission for Efficiency and Accountability in Government is assigned responsibility to:

            oDevelop a plan and make recommendations for a structure and process to evaluate program effectiveness.  The plan is to identify alternatives to current program evaluations that are based on expected outcomes.  The expected outcomes should correspond to goals established by strategic planning.  The commission will consult with the various legislative agencies such as the Legislative Budget Committee and the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program in making its recommendations, and will examine the feasibility of adapting the sunset review process to improve evaluation of government accountability.

            oDevelop a plan and make recommendations for an executive and legislative strategic planning process.  Elements of strategic planning are defined.  The plan must address the respective roles of the executive and legislative branches in developing goals and priorities and make recommendations for utilizing the budget-setting process.  The commission is to make every effort to compliment and expand on the work of the Senate Select Committee on Washington 2000. 

A preliminary report from the commission is due to the 1991 Legislature.  The final report is to be submitted to the 1992 Legislature.  Two hundred thousand dollars is appropriated from the general fund to the Office of Financial Management for the Efficiency Commission to complete its task. 

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Provisions dealing with accountability through outcome-based education and a $288,000 appropriation to SPI are removed.  The Efficiency Commission's program evaluation plan is to identify alternatives to current evaluation that are based on expected outcomes, and those outcomes should correspond to goals established by strategic planning. Elements of strategic planning are defined.  The appropriation to OFM for the commission to carry out its duties is increased from $50,000 to $200,000.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (Second Substitute Bill):  The appropriation is deleted.

Appropriation:    (State Government Committee)  $200,000 to the Office of Financial Management.

(Appropriations Committee)  None.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (State Government)(original bill)  Representative Wes Pruitt, prime sponsor; Fred Hellberg, Governor's Office; and Lucille Christensen, Efficiency Commission.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (State Government)  No one.

(Appropriations) No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (State Government)  (original bill)  Government, both in the legislative and executive branches, focuses on fiscal responsibility more than on programmatic responsibility.  Government needs to be held accountable.  Strategic planning and program evaluation should be linked.  The Efficiency Commission would be a suitable agency for developing a plan and a process for evaluation and strategic planning since they currently conduct studies to make programs more accountable.

(Appropriations)  None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (State Government)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.