Z-1263               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6289

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senator Barr; by request of Department of Agriculture

Read first time 1/10/90 and referred to Committee on  Agriculture.

AN ACT Relating to administrative divisions of the department of agriculture; and amending RCW 43.23.010 and 41.06.084.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 43.23.010, chapter 8, Laws of 1965 as last amended by section 3, chapter 248, Laws of 1983 and RCW 43.23.010 are each amended to read as follows:

          ((The department of agriculture shall be organized into administrative divisions that the director deems necessary to promote efficient public management, to improve programs, and to take full advantage of both fiscal and administrative economies.  The director shall appoint and deputize not more than six assistant directors as necessary to administer the several divisions within the department.))  In order to obtain maximum efficiency and effectiveness within the department of agriculture, the director may create such administrative divisions within the department as he or she deems necessary.  The director shall appoint a deputy director as well as such assistant directors as shall be needed to administer the several divisions within the department.  The officers appointed under this section are exempt from the provisions of the state civil service law as provided in RCW 41.06.070(7), and shall be paid salaries to be fixed by the governor in accordance with the procedure established by law for the fixing of salaries for officers exempt from the operation of the state civil service law. The director shall also appoint and deputize a state veterinarian who shall be an experienced veterinarian properly licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state.  ((The officers appointed under this section shall be paid salaries in an amount fixed by the governor.))

          The director of agriculture shall have charge and general supervision of the department and may assign supervisory and administrative duties other than those specified in RCW 43.23.070 to the division which in his or her judgment can most efficiently carry on those functions.

        Sec. 2.  Section 11, chapter 248, Laws of 1983 and RCW 41.06.084 are each amended to read as follows:

          In addition to the exemptions set forth in RCW 41.06.070, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply in the department of agriculture to the director, the director's confidential secretary, the deputy director, not more than ((six)) eight assistant directors, and the state veterinarian.