HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1885

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed House:

March 1, 2011

Title: An act relating to providing streamlining improvements in the administration of programs affecting the natural environment.

Brief Description: Providing streamlining improvements in the administration of programs affecting the natural environment.

Sponsors: House Committee on Environment (originally sponsored by Representatives Moscoso, Rolfes and Fitzgibbon).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Environment: 2/17/11 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/1/11, 98-0.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

  • Amends certain programs administered by the various natural resources agencies to remove prescriptive direction in the administration of the programs.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Upthegrove, Chair; Rolfes, Vice Chair; Short, Ranking Minority Member; Harris, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Crouse, Fitzgibbon, Jacks, Jinkins, Morris, Moscoso, Nealey, Pearson, Takko, Taylor and Tharinger.

Staff: Jason Callahan (786-7117).

Background:

There are multiple agencies responsible for the administration of statutes that affect the state's environment. These agencies include the State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks), the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), and the departments of Ecology (DOE), Natural Resources (DNR), Fish and Wildlife (DFW), and Agriculture (DOA). Collectively, these agencies are known as the natural resources agencies and they manage programs as diverse as wildlife management, water resources, air quality, agricultural production, forest practices, aquatic lands management, fisheries, and outdoor recreation.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill:

Certain programs administered by the various natural resources agencies are amended to remove detailed direction in the program's administration. These changes include:

Examples of specific details include:

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) These are minor government reform options that, collectively, are intended to untie, somewhat, the hands of the agencies and provide some flexibility and cost savings to allow the agencies to focus on their priorities and frontline services. Each change has a small effect, but perhaps collectively they will amount to some current and future savings. These are small steps towards trying to take some legislatively-mandated bureaucracy out of agencies.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Moscoso, prime sponsor; and Lenny Young, Department of Natural Resources.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.