BILL REQ. #:  H-0899.1 

Read first time 01/28/2003.   Referred to Committee on State Government.

     AN ACT Relating to quality improvement; adding new sections to chapter 41.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 2.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Each state agency shall, within available funds, develop and implement a quality management program to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the public services it provides through business process redesign, employee involvement, and other quality management techniques. Each agency shall ensure that front line agency employees are engaged in the program and shall provide employees with the training necessary for successful implementation of efforts toward quality improvement.
     (2) Each agency shall, within available funds, ensure that its quality management program:
     (a) Identifies immediate-term and near-term opportunities to improve services and reduce costs;
     (b) Identifies goals and uses strategic business planning and performance measures to establish priorities and measure progress toward meeting them. Each state agency shall develop performance measures to assess customer satisfaction, agency progress toward accomplishing outcomes specified in the agency budget under RCW 43.88.090, and the impact of initiatives instituted under the quality management program as a whole;
     (c) Reports the results of its quality management program on a regular basis. Each agency shall ensure that its report specifies improved outcomes for public service and efficiency. Any agency in its report may describe methods of measuring customer and stakeholder satisfaction, of engaging agency employees in the program, and of assessing the extent to which business practices have been changed to improve quality, efficiency, and effectiveness;
     (d) Evaluates the results of its quality, service, and management improvement programs and assesses program effects upon leadership, information and analysis, strategic planning, human resource development and management, process improvement, business results, and customer focus and satisfaction; and
     (e) Develops a plan for quality improvement, documenting efforts made up to the date of the report and addressing all matters enumerated in this subsection.
     (3) State agencies whose chief executives are appointed by the governor shall report program results to the governor on a regular basis. State agencies whose chief executives are elected officials other than the governor shall report program results to the elected official on a regular basis.
     (4) Each state agency shall integrate efforts made under this section with quality management programs undertaken under executive order or other authority. The office of insurance commissioner, the department of natural resources, and four-year institutions of higher education shall develop and implement a complete quality management program by June 30, 2006. All other state agencies shall develop and implement a complete quality management program by June 30, 2004.
     (5) Starting in 2008 and at least once every three years thereafter, the office of insurance commissioner, the department of natural resources, and four-year institutions of higher education, or their subdivisions, or both, shall apply for the Washington state quality award or an equivalent outside quality assessment, for potential recognition. Starting in 2005 and at least once every three years thereafter, all other state agencies or their subdivisions, or both, shall apply for the Washington state quality award or an equivalent outside quality assessment, for potential recognition. Every subdivision of a state agency with three thousand or more full-time equivalent employees must complete an application in each three-year period.
     (6) For purposes of this section, "state agency" means those state agencies within the executive branch of government including institutions of higher education.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 44.04 RCW to read as follows:
     The senate and the house of representatives shall each develop and implement quality improvement programs as described under section 1 of this act by June 30, 2005, and shall report the results of these efforts to the leadership of each major political party caucus within its respective house.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 2.04 RCW to read as follows:
     The supreme court is encouraged to develop and implement quality improvement programs, as described under section 1 of this act, for the judicial branch of government, by June 30, 2005, and shall report the results of these efforts to the chief justice. The programs may be implemented directly by the supreme court or may be delegated to the administrator for the courts.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Local governments are encouraged to develop and implement quality management programs as described in section 1 of this act.
     (2) For purposes of this section, "local government" includes every county, city, town, special district, municipal corporation, and quasi-municipal corporation in the state.