HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2768
As Reported by House Committee On:
Children & Family Services
Title: An act relating to reports to the legislature by the department of social and health services.
Brief Description: Requiring review of reports to the legislature by DSHS.
Sponsors: Representatives Orcutt, Kagi, Tokuda, Boldt, Jarrett, Benson, Nixon, Lisk, Darneille, Mulliken, Chase, Mielke, Morell, Edwards and Woods.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Children & Family Services: 2/6/02 [DP].
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Brief Summary of Bill |
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$Requires the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to review all legislatively imposed requirements on the department to submit reports to the Legislature and recommend the continuance or elimination of the required reports.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Tokuda, Chair; Kagi, Vice Chair; Boldt, Ranking Minority Member; Darneille, Dickerson, Miloscia, Morell, Nixon and Orcutt.
Staff: Deborah Frazier (786‑7152).
Background:
The Legislature has required in statute a variety of reports of the DSHS. Among the types of reports are: program status, status of implementation of legislation, workload information, contracting information and information on particular areas of concern. These report requirements may be satisfied by a one time submission, but often are ongoing.
Summary of Bill:
The DSHS is required to review all legislative requirements on the department to submit reports to the Legislature and recommend the continuance or elimination of the required reports.
The DSHS is required to develop criteria to assess the required reports, including but not limited to, the cost of preparation and the relevance to departmental needs for management information.
The DSHS is required to submit a report to the Children and Family Services committee on the criteria, the review process, and the recommendations by December 1, 2002. These requirements expire on December 31, 2002.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For:
(Neutral) The Office of Financial Management reviews reports required of executive agencies each year and submits a bill to the Legislature to eliminate reports and obsolete references. This bill may be a duplication of that effort. That bill usually gets whittled down by members, and sometimes doesn't pass. Also, it generates interest in the reports on the part of members who didn't know about some of the reports. The DSHS currently tracks 70 reports required by the Legislature, including 20 one-time reports that have already been submitted. The department welcomes the opportunity to review these requirements with the Legislature. Preparation of these reports is staff and time intensive. The department is moving to electronic submission of required reports.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: (In support) Representative Orcutt, prime sponsor.
(Neutral) Jim Hedrick, Office of Financial Management; and Sherry McNamara, Department of Social and Health Services.