BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to the department of community, trade, and economic development; amending RCW 43.330.050; adding a new section to chapter 43.330 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington businesses with well-trained, motivated workers and a work environment that is organized to take advantage of the employees' skills are more competitive in the global economy. These firms have replaced inflexible traditional work organizations with high-performance work organizations characterized by: An emphasis on customer service and quality; flexibly structured manufacturing or service delivery systems; and highly trained workers who are given responsibility commensurate with the level of training.

The legislature further finds that the same commitment to customer service and quality shown by private sector firms that have adopted high-performance work organizations should also be embraced by public agencies. Adoption of these principles can increase government efficiency and responsiveness to constituent needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.330 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The director shall take action as necessary to structure the department as a public sector model of a high-performance work organization. The department shall institute policies that: Make improving customer service and quality control the priority of each agency employee; reduce administrative layer within the department; extend decision-making authority; and increase employee involvement in workplace decisions.

(2) The department shall implement management practices that are most likely to result in improved agency performance. These practices may include, but are not limited to:

(a) Total quality management;

(b) Continuous improvement programs;

(d) Constituent satisfaction programs; and

(e) Increased training of agency employees.

(3) The department shall periodically review the impact of these practices on the performance of the department and implement additional management practices as it deems appropriate.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.330.050 and 1993 c 280 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

The department shall be responsible for promoting community and economic development within the state by assisting the state's communities to increase the quality of life of their citizens and their economic vitality, and by assisting the state's businesses to maintain and increase their economic competitiveness, while maintaining a healthy environment. Community and economic development efforts shall include: Efforts to increase economic opportunity; local planning to manage growth; the promotion and provision of affordable housing and housing-related services; providing public infrastructure; business and trade development; assisting firms and industrial sectors to increase their competitiveness; fostering the development of minority and women-owned businesses; facilitating technology development, transfer, and diffusion; community services and advocacy for low-income persons; and public safety efforts. The department shall have the following general functions and responsibilities:

(1) Provide advisory assistance to the governor, other state agencies, and the legislature on community and economic development matters and issues;

(2) Assist the governor in coordinating the activities of state agencies that have an impact on local government and communities;

(3) Cooperate with the legislature and the governor in the development and implementation of strategic plans for the state's community and economic development efforts;

(4) Solicit private and federal grants for economic and community development programs and administer such programs in conjunction with other programs assigned to the department by the governor or the legislature;

(5) Cooperate with and provide technical and financial assistance to local governments, businesses, and community-based organizations serving the communities of the state for the purpose of aiding and encouraging orderly, productive, and coordinated development of the state, and, unless stipulated otherwise, give additional consideration to local communities and individuals with the greatest relative need and the fewest resources;

(6) Participate with other states or subdivisions thereof in interstate programs and assist cities, counties, municipal corporations, governmental conferences or councils, and regional planning commissions to participate with other states and provinces or their subdivisions;

(7) Hold public hearings and meetings to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(8) Conduct research and analysis in furtherance of the state's economic and community development efforts including maintenance of current information on market, demographic, and economic trends as they affect different industrial sectors, geographic regions, and communities with special economic and social problems in the state; ((~~and~~))

(9) Develop a schedule of fees for services where appropriate; and

(10) Be a model within state government of a high-performance work organization.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 1994.