HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5915

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                       April 14, 1999

Title:  An act relating to reports to the legislature.

Brief Description:  Removing language requiring obsolete or unwanted reports.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson and McDonald; by request of Office of Financial Management.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

State Government:  3/23/99, 4/2/99 [DPA].

Floor Activity:

Passed House - Amended:  4/14/99, 96-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

            (As Amended by House Committee)

$Eliminates or alters requirements for various reports to be made, including the elimination of obsolete one-time reports.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  Signed by 8 members: Representatives McMorris, Republican Co-Chair; Romero, Democratic Co-Chair; Campbell, Republican Vice Chair; Miloscia, Democratic Vice Chair; Dunshee; Haigh; Lambert and D. Schmidt.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:

A number of laws have been enacted requiring state agencies to prepare reports.  Some of these reports were one-time reports, while other reports are on-going reports.

Legislation was enacted in 1998 eliminating obsolete requirements for over 240 reports to be prepared.

Summary of Amended Bill:

Requirements are eliminated or altered for a number of reports and studies.

Obsolete requirements for the following one-time reports are eliminated:

$A report indicating the number of sex offenders classified in each level of risk category;

$The feasibility and value of consolidating educational services to juvenile offenders who are committed to state facilities;

$Recommendations related to training standards and delivery systems for administrators and resident care giving staff providing residential care;

$Managed care initiatives initiated by the Public Employees' Benefits Board;

$The possible consolidation or elimination of advisory committees for the Department of Social and Health Services;

$The distribution formula for determining allocations to community networks under the family policy council law;

$Improving bicycle and pedestrian safety;

$Policies and procedures on the control and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases or other communicable diseases of detainees and offenders;

$Progress by the Department of Fish and Wildlife in reaching mutual agreements with treaty Indian tribes on the marking of chinook and coho salmon;

$Steps taken by the Utilities and Transportation Commission implementing a universal telecommunications service program; and

$Recommendations on salmon recovery.

Requirements for the following on-going reports are eliminated:

$Low-level radioactive waste disposal at Hanford;

$Demonstration projects for special needs transportation; and

$Implementing an asset protection program for persons receiving long-term care.

Changes are made to other studies and reports as follows:

$The listing of reductions in state revenue arising from tax exemptions must be prepared every fourth year rather than every even-numbered year.

$The specific date when annual quality assurances reports on children health and safety must be made is deleted.

$The requirement is eliminated that the Housing Finance Commission plan be submitted to the Legislature on a specific date.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: The ongoing requirement for reports on the adoption of rules by state agencies, and on debts written off by the Department of Social and Health Service, are not eliminated.  Budget documents still must display enrollment target levels for institutions of higher education.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This is round two of an effort to eliminate obsolete or no longer needed reports.  A consensus approach has been used where the elimination of a report is dropped if anyone objects.  This eliminates unnecessary and unused paper work.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Dick Thompson, Office of Financial Management.