FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2327

                                  C 297 L 90

BYHouse Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Silver, H. Sommers, Schoon, Holland, McLean, Fuhrman and Smith; by request of Legislative Budget Committee)

Changing provisions relating to sunset review of programs and agencies.

House Committe on State Government

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

When a state agency or program is scheduled for termination under the provisions of the Washington Sunset Act, the following process takes place:

1)  The Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) conducts a program and fiscal review of the agency or program and submits a report of its findings to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) no later than June 30 of the year prior to the scheduled termination date.

2)  OFM may conduct its own review and return its findings to the LBC by September 30 of the same year.  LBC then prepares a final report.

3)  The appropriate standing committees of the Legislature hold public hearings on the recommendations of the LBC and OFM and then determine whether the agency or program should be terminated, continued, or modified.

In addition to sunset reviews, the LBC is also responsible for a number of other evaluations and studies, many mandated by law.  In the next four years, the LBC will be required to complete 23 sunset reviews and nine additional program evaluations or reports, not including a major study of the Family Independence Program.

SUMMARY:

The following state agencies or programs scheduled for termination between 1991 and 1994 under the Washington Sunset Act are removed from the schedule of agencies under sunset.  Their termination dates are postponed by one year.

1)  Nursing Home Advisory Council

New termination: June 30, 1992

2)  Emergency Medical Services Committee

New termination:  June 30, 1992

3)  Regulation of Acupuncture Practice

New termination:  June 30, 1992

4)  Parimutuel Wagering on Horse Races at Satellite Facilities

New termination:  June 30, 1992

5)  Business Assistance Center

New termination: June 30, 1993

6)  Regulation of Counselors, Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, and Marriage and Family Counselors

New termination:  June 30, 1994

7)  Regulation of Naturopaths

New termination: June 30, 1994

8)  Examining Board of Psychology

New termination: June 30, 1995

The following programs are also removed from sunset review, but their termination dates are unchanged:

9)  Economic Development Board

Termination:  June 30, 1993

10)  Migratory Waterfowl Art Committee

Termination:  June 30, 1994

11)  Export Trading Companies

Termination:  June 30, 1994

The following agencies or programs are removed from the schedule of agencies under sunset and their termination dates are repealed:

1)  Public Works Board

2)  Career Executive Program

3)  Public Disclosure Commission

4)  Small Business Improvement Council

5)  Washington Sunrise Act

6)  Washington Ambassador Program

7)  Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

Statutory requirements for the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) to conduct the following studies or analyses are repealed:

1)  State Employee Incentive Programs (a cost- benefit analysis due December 1, 1990)

2)  Physical Therapists (an evaluation of a program of direct access in certain circumstances due January 1, 1991)

The termination dates and required LBC studies of the following are removed:

1)  Regulation of Motor Vehicle Warranties ("Lemon Law")

2)  Washington State Lottery

A technical change is made to place provisions setting a 1998 termination date for the School Directors' Association in the section of the code containing the Sunset Act.

The 1991 termination date of a program of tax exemptions for preservation of historic property is repealed, and the program continues indefinitely.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 97   0

      Senate    45     2 (Senate amended)

      House 90   4 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990