FINAL BILL REPORT

SSCR 8418

As Passed Legislature

Brief Description: Creating a joint select legislative task force to evaluate permitting processes.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water (originally sponsored by Senators Berkey, Swecker, Doumit, Schmidt, Mulliken, Parlette, Keiser, Rasmussen, Haugen and Murray).

Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water

House Committee on Local Government

Background: A legislative work group on permit processes has recommended the convening of a joint effort by the four legislative caucuses and the Governor, a "five corners task force," to improve state and local permitting processes.

Summary: A joint select legislative task force is established to make recommendations regarding permitting processes and report to the Legislature by January 1, 2006. It will address local development regulations of selected jurisdictions among the "buildable lands" counties and their cities over 50,000.

The task force is composed of the chairs and the ranking minority members of the Senate Committee on Land Use and Planning and the House Local Government Committee. It will invite the Governor to join it and form a "Five Corners Task Force."

An advisory committee is established to respond to requests of the task force and is composed of representatives of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED), the Department of Ecology (Ecology), the Office of Regulatory Assistance (ORA), a county, a city, the business community, the environmental community, agriculture, labor, the property rights community, the construction industry, ports, and federally recognized Indian tribes.

Staff support is provided by Senate Committee Services and the Office of Program Research. CTED, Ecology, and ORA are invited to provide staff support.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       47  0

House       Adopted    (House amended)

Senate       49  0          (Senate concurred)