HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2200

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the powers of the director of licensing.

Brief Description:  Changing the duties of the director of licensing.

Sponsors:  Representatives Romero and McMorris; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

State Government:  3/2/99 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/10/99, 97-0.

Passed Senate:  4/14/99, 48-0.

Passed Legislature.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$The authority of the director of the Department of Licensing is clarified.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  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: Scott MacColl (786-7106).

Background:

The Department of Licensing is required to be organized into divisions, including the business and professions administration which includes the divisions of real estate and professional licensing.  The director of the Department of Licensing is appointed by the Governor, with consent of the Senate, and holds office at the pleasure of the Governor.

The director of the Department of Licensing is required to appoint and deputize an assistant director of business and professions administration, and may delegate to the assistant director authority to promulgate rules and regulations relating to the licensing of persons engaged in businesses and professions, appoint such clerical and other assistants to carry out necessary work; and to deputize assistants to perform duties in the name of the director.

Summary of Bill:

The authority of the director of the Department of Licensing is clarified.  Duties are to supervise and administer the Department Licensing, and advise the Legislature and Governor with respect to matters under the jurisdiction of the department.  The director is granted specific authority to:

Center into contracts to carry out the departments responsibilities;

Caccept and expend gifts and grants;

Cadminister the department, including complete charge and supervisory powers over the department, and create any administrative structures;

Cadopt rules;

Cdelegate powers and duties; and

Cestablish advisory groups.

References to duties formerly performed by the Department of Licensing regarding the Optometry that are now under the authority of the Department of Health are repealed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill eliminates obsolete terms and divisions that no longer exist.  Corrections are made to take cognizance of the transfer of licensing optometry to the Department of Health that occurred a few years ago.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Fred Stephens and Alan Rathbun, Washington State Department of Licensing.