Title: An act relating to the master licensing service.

Brief Description: Concerning the master licensing service.

Sponsors: Representatives Conway and Springer; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/15/05, 96-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/29/05, 3/30/05 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin and Mulliken.

Staff: Cindy Fazio (786-7405)

Background: The Master License Service (MLS) is a self-supporting service bureau in the Department of Licensing providing consolidated "one-stop" state and local government business licensing service. Certain state agencies are required to participate in the MLS, but cities and counties are not. Currently, 10 state agencies and five cities participate in the MLS involving over 100 different licenses. The MLS manages all paperwork between the business license applicant or license holder and the partner agency. The MLS maintains a centralized business licensing data system on behalf of the agencies; all have access to their records and information. The MLS collects funds for all licenses and transmits it electronically to the appropriate jurisdiction. Businesses are able to apply for a business license via the Internet, by mail or at any one of the MLS participating agencies/cities.

Summary of Bill: With money appropriated for this purpose, the Department of Licensing must administer a performance-based grant program that provides funding assistance to public agencies that issue business licenses, and that wish to join the master licencing service. The Department of Licensing will determine grant recipients, and the amounts of the grants awarded, based on criteria such as: readiness of the agency to participate; the number of licenses issued by the agency applicant; and the reduced impact to the business community compared to the cost to the Department of Licencing to bring that segment of licensed businesses into the program. The total amount of grants awarded must not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars in any one fiscal year.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: The Department of Licensing's Master Licencing Service has a fund balance that will fund this bill. No appropriation is necessary.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Andrea Archer, Department of Licensing.