Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Environment Committee

HB 2277

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.

Brief Description: Updating the statutes controlling the Puget Sound partnership to reflect the transition from developing the action agenda to implementing the action agenda.

Sponsors: Representatives Upthegrove, Tharinger, Jinkins, Moscoso, Hudgins and Fitzgibbon.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Removes the responsibility of the Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) to designate entities as Puget Sound partners.

  • Updates provisions related to the Partnership’s duties to reflect that the initial Action Agenda has been completed, and that the Partnership is now responsible for implementing and updating the Action Agenda.

  • Adds the requirement that the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (Committee) report to the Legislature by January 1, 2013, on the Puget Sound Partnership’s progress in implementing the recommendations contained in the Committee’s 2011 audit of the Partnership's progress to date.

Hearing Date: 1/20/12

Staff: Anna Jackson (786-7194).

Background:

In 2007 the Legislature created the Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership), a new state agency charged with coordinating and leading the effort to restore and protect the Puget Sound by 2020. The Partnership's primary responsibilities can be characterized as three interrelated tasks: (1) developing and prioritizing solutions to restore the environmental health of the Puget Sound by 2020; (2) overseeing the implementation of those solutions; and (3) tracking and monitoring results, and adjusting proposed solutions accordingly. The Partnership is governed by a Leadership Council, whose members are appointed by the Governor, which coordinates with the Ecosystem Coordination Board (Board) in carrying out the duties of the Partnership. The Board has representatives from the general public, environmental, business, private, nongovernmental, government, and scientific sectors, as well as from tribal governments.

Key among the Partnership's responsibilities in developing solutions to restore the Puget Sound is delivering an Action Agenda - a science-based plan to set goals and identify near-term actions, strategies, and the entities responsible for cleaning up Puget Sound. The Partnership issued its initial Action Agenda in December 2008, with a revised draft issued in May 2009. The Partnership anticipates releasing another revised draft in 2012. By statute, the near-term strategies and actions described in the Action Agenda must be updated every two years.

A “Puget Sound partner” is an entity that has been recognized by the Partnership as having consistently achieved outstanding progress in implementing the 2020 Action Agenda.

Summary of Bill:

The responsibility of the Partnership to designate entities as Puget Sound partners is removed, as well as all references to Puget Sound partners in law.

A number of provisions related to the Action Agenda are updated to reflect that the initial Action Agenda has been completed, and that the Partnership is now responsible for implementing and updating the Action Agenda.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is required to review and report to the Legislature by January 1, 2013, on the extent to which the Partnership’s 2012 Action Agenda, State of the Sound Report, and other activities implement the recommendations of the committee’s 2011 audit entitled, “Processes Required to Measure Puget Sound Restoration Are Not Yet in Place.”

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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