HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No.  HB 1251

Eliminating and consolidating boards,

commissions, and programs

Brief Title                               Hearing Date: 2/5/99

Reps. Miloscia, Ericksen                 Staff:  Scott MacColl

Sponsor(s)                          State Government Committee

                                              Phone:  786-7106

BACKGROUND:

The Governor and the Office of Financial Management (OFM) are required to review state boards and commissions, and in every odd-numbered year submit to the Legislature a recommended list of boards and commissions to be terminated or consolidated.  In 1995-1997, Washington had 381 boards and commissions, down from a high of 569 in 1991-1993.  Each board or commission operates in conjunction with and reports to a particular state agency or to the Governor=s office.

SUMMARY:

33 Boards, commissions, and committees are either repealed or abolished.  These are the Health Care Assistants Advisory Committee, Dieticians and Nutritionists Advisory Committee, Health Professions Advisory Committee, Washington State Council on Vocational Education, Public Pension Commission, Public Information Access Policy Task Force, Rural Development Council, Tax Advisory Council, Advisory Council on Criminal Justice Services, Senior Environmental Corps Coordinating Council, Washington Conservation Corps Coordinating Council, Clean Washington Center Policy Board, Puget Sound Trawl Emerging Fisheries Advisory Board, Scenic Rivers Committee of Participating Agencies, Lakes Health Plan Committee, Lower Colombia River Bi-State Steering Committee, and the Business and Job Retention Advisory Committee. 

In addition, three advisory review boards from the Department of Fish and Wildlife are abolished, Nine advisory and search committees advising the Department of Corrections are abolished, and the Athlete Agent Regulatory Program is abolished.

By July 1, 1999 the Community Diversification Program Advisory Committee shall be abolished by the director of department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, and the Community Networks Committees shall be abolished by the director of the department of Services for the Blind.

The regulation requiring debt adjusters to be licensed by the state is abolished, and transfers authority for inspection and investigation of debt adjusters to the office of the attorney general.

The State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers is merged with the Cemetery Board to form a single board, the Funeral and Cemetery Board.  The Funeral and Cemetery Board undertakes regulation of all entities formerly regulated by the two separate boards.  Other changes are made to the statutes regarding the two boards as follows:

CMoves authority for expiration of funeral establishment licenses to the director of the Department of Licensing.

CCreates a funeral and cemetery account within the state treasury.

CA requirement is added to the statute that requires written notice of a proposed removal of dedication for cemetery property that is dedicated to cemetery purposes.  Written notice is now required to the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation for abandoned and historic cemeteries and historic graves, for cemeteries regulated by the funeral and cemetery board.

CTransfers authority over historic graves that are inadvertently disturbed to the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.  Transfers to the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation the authority to pursue civil action against anyone who violates a provision of the cemetery laws.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1999