FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2298

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.

Sponsors: House Committee on Environment (originally sponsored by Representatives Haler, Fitzgibbon, Dolan, Fey, Hudgins, McBride, Stanford and Ormsby; by request of Department of Ecology).

Background:

The Department of Ecology (Department) implements the wastewater treatment plant operator certification program (program). To implement the program, the Department is authorized to: categorize wastewater treatment plants by size, type, and complexity; determine qualifications and certification of operators for different categories of wastewater treatment plants; and certify operators.

Certification under the program is achieved through passage of an examination and is available in five levels, each with progressively higher requirements for education and experience. Certification must be renewed every three years. There are currently around 2,000 certified wastewater treatment plant operators in the state.

Summary:

The Department of Ecology (Department) is directed to establish application fees and renewal fees for the wastewater treatment plant operator certificate, in consultation with an advisory committee.

The fees must be established in an amount that fully recovers, but does not exceed, the Department's cost to operate the wastewater treatment plant operator certification program (program), as identified in the Department's biennial operating budget.

The Department must conduct a workload analysis and prepare a biennial budget estimate for the program after adopting the initial fee schedule.

The Department must submit a report to the Legislature describing the need for any future fee increases that are above the state's fiscal growth factor, due to an expansion of the program.

Votes on Final Passage:

House	94	0
Senate	33	16