READ FIRST TIME 02/20/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to providing businesses with notice of administrative rules; amending RCW 34.05.220 and 34.05.312; adding a new section to chapter 34.05 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that many businesses in the state are frustrated by the complexity of the regulatory system. The Washington Administrative Code containing agency rules now fills twelve volumes, and appears to be growing each year. While the vast majority of businesses make a good faith attempt to comply with applicable laws and rules, many find it extremely difficult to keep up with agencies' issuance of new rules and requirements. Therefore, state agencies are directed to make a good faith attempt to notify businesses affected by rule changes that may subject noncomplying businesses to penalties.

Sec. 2   RCW 34.05.220 and 1994 c 249 s 24 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) In addition to other rule-making requirements imposed by law:
     (a) Each agency may adopt rules governing the formal and informal procedures prescribed or authorized by this chapter and rules of practice before the agency, together with forms and instructions. If an agency has not adopted procedural rules under this section, the model rules adopted by the chief administrative law judge under RCW 34.05.250 govern procedures before the agency.
     (b) To assist interested persons dealing with it, each agency shall adopt as a rule a description of its organization, stating the general course and method of its operations and the methods whereby the public may obtain information and make submissions or requests. No person may be required to comply with agency procedure not adopted as a rule as herein required.
     (2) To the extent not prohibited by federal law or regulation, nor prohibited for reasons of confidentiality by state law, each agency shall keep on file for public inspection all final orders, decisions, and opinions in adjudicative proceedings, interpretive statements, policy statements, and any digest or index to those orders, decisions, opinions, or statements prepared by or for the agency.
     (3) No agency order, decision, or opinion is valid or effective against any person, nor may it be invoked by the agency for any purpose, unless it is available for public inspection. This subsection is not applicable in favor of any person who has actual knowledge of the order, decision, or opinion. The agency has the burden of proving that knowledge, but may meet that burden by proving that the person has been properly served with a copy of the order.
     (4) Each agency that is authorized by law to exercise discretion in deciding individual cases is encouraged to formalize the general principles that may evolve from these decisions by adopting the principles as rules that the agency will follow until they are amended or repealed.
     (5) To the extent practicable, any rule proposed or adopted by an agency should be clearly and simply stated, so that it can be understood by those required to comply.
     (6) The departments of employment security, labor and industries, ecology, and revenue shall develop and use a notification process to communicate information to the public regarding the postadoption notice required by section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 34.05 RCW to read as follows:
     Either before or within two hundred days after the effective date of an adopted rule that imposes additional requirements on businesses the violation of which subjects the business to a penalty, assessment, or administrative sanction, an agency identified in RCW 34.05.220(6) shall notify businesses affected by the rule of the requirements of the rule and how to obtain technical assistance to comply. Notification must be provided by e-mail, if possible, to every person identified to receive the postadoption notice under RCW 34.05.220(6).
     The notification must announce the rule change, briefly summarize the rule change, refer to appeal procedures under RCW 34.05.330, and include a contact for more information. Failure to notify a specific business under this section does not invalidate a rule or waive the requirement to comply with the rule. The requirements of this section do not apply to emergency rules adopted under RCW 34.05.350.

Sec. 4   RCW 34.05.312 and 1993 c 202 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each agency shall designate a rules coordinator, who shall have knowledge of the subjects of rules being proposed or prepared within the agency for proposal, maintain the records of any such action, and respond to public inquiries about possible ((or)), proposed, or adopted rules and the identity of agency personnel working, reviewing, or commenting on them. The office and mailing address of the rules coordinator shall be published in the state register at the time of designation and in the first issue of each calendar year thereafter for the duration of the designation. The rules coordinator may be an employee of another agency.