NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The department of commerce, through a contract with a consultant with experience in local project review and permitting, must develop options for streamlining the local government project review and permitting process under chapter 36.70B RCW. The department of commerce must develop those options by utilizing appropriate public participation by affected stakeholders in the review of the local project review and permitting process including commercial and residential builders, realtors, cities, counties, and environmental groups. The evaluation must include a report of existing actual permit timelines including the number of consecutive calendar days between the first permit submission and final permit decision and options for reducing consecutive calendar days for issuing permits. The department of commerce must submit a final report with recommendations for streamlining the local government project review and permitting process to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2021.