SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6713

              As Passed Senate, February 15, 2000

Title:  An act relating to quality awards.

Brief Description:  Revising the Washington state quality award program.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson, Horn and Winsley; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/27/2000, 2/2/2000 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/15/2000, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  The purpose of the Governor=s Washington State Quality Achievement Award Program is to improve the overall competitiveness of the state=s economy.  This is done by recognizing organizations that improve the quality of their products and services and are noteworthy examples of high-performance work organizations.

The program is overseen by the Washington Quality Award Council.  This is a nonprofit corporation with limited staff support from the Office of Secretary of State.  The council consists of the Governor, Secretary of State, and the Director of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, or their designees, plus 27 other council members appointed by the Governor for terms of three years.  The council has several statutorily mandated duties directed toward achieving its goals.

The council ceased to exist on July 1, 1999.

Summary of Bill:  The name of the Governor=s program is changed to the Governor=s Washington State Quality Award Program.  The role of the Secretary of State is eliminated.

The council=s statutory appointees are eliminated.  The Governor appoints one member to the board of directors of the nonprofit corporation to serve as the Governor=s representative.  Some of the council=s duties are eliminated as is the termination of the council on July 1, 1999.

The section of law is recodified in the chapter relating to the office of the Governor.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The Secretary of State has no problem with this bill.  It maintains the relationship with state government while improving the council=s ability to focus on its goals of providing tools and education to improve the performance of business and state government.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Tamara Garcia, Washington State Quality Award (pro); Tracy Guern, Office of the Governor (pro).