Z-560                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3410

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators McManus, Zimmerman, Owen, Thompson and Lee

Read first time 1/29/85 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to expanding the responsibilities of the business license center; amending RCW 19.02.010, 19.02.040, 19.02.100, 19.02.110, and 19.02.810; and adding a new section to chapter 19.02 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 319, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as amended by section 1, chapter 182, Laws of 1982 and RCW 19.02.010 are each amended to read as follows:

          Experience under the pilot program of the business coordination act suggests that the number of state licenses required for new businesses and the renewal of existing licenses places an undue burden on business.  ((Studies under this act)) Experience under this chapter also shows that this can be alleviated.  However, the state can only reduce its costs ((by)) for coordinating and consolidating application forms, information, and licenses if all applications for each license are processed by a single agency.  Therefore, the legislature ((extends)) revises the business ((coordination act by establishing a business license program and license center to develop and implement)) license center act by expanding the one-stop master license program with the following goals and objectives:

          (1) The first goal of this system is to provide a convenient, accessible, and timely one-stop system for the business community to acquire and maintain the ((necessary)) more common state licenses to conduct business.  This system shall be developed and operated in the most cost-efficient manner for the business community and state.  The objectives of this goal are:

          (a) To provide a service whereby information is available to the business community concerning all state licensing and regulatory requirements, and to the extent feasible, include local and federal information concerning the same regulated activities;

          (b) To provide a system which will enable state agencies to efficiently store, retrieve, and exchange license information with due regard to privacy statutes; to issue and renew master licenses ((where such licenses are appropriate)); and to provide appropriate support services for this objective;

          (c) To provide at designated locations one consolidated application form to be completed by ((any given)) every applicant to obtain certain basic licenses; and

          (d) To provide a state-wide system of common business identification.

          (2) The second goal of this system is to aid business and the growth of business in Washington state by instituting a master license system that will reduce the paperwork burden on business, and promote the elimination of obsolete and duplicative licensing requirements by consolidating existing licenses and applications.

          It is the intent of the legislature that the authority for determining if a requested license shall be issued shall remain with the agency legally authorized to issue the license.

          It is the further intent of the legislature that those licenses which no longer serve a useful purpose in regulating certain business activities should be eliminated.

        Sec. 2.  Section 4, chapter 319, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as last amended by section 5, chapter 182, Laws of 1982 and RCW 19.02.040 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) There is hereby created a board of review to provide ((policy direction)) technical assistance to the department of licensing as it establishes and operates the business registration and licensing system.  The board of review shall be composed of the following ((officials or their designees)):

          (a) Director, department of revenue;

          (b) Director, department of labor and industries;

          (c) Commissioner, employment security department;

          (d) ((Director, department of agriculture;

          (e))) Director, department of commerce and economic development;

          (((f) Director, department of licensing;

          (g))) (e) Director, office of financial management;

          (((h) Chairman, liquor control board;

          (i) Secretary, department of social and health services;

          (j))) (f) Secretary of state; and

          (((k) The governor; and

          (l) As ex officio members:

          (i) The president of the senate or the president's designee;

          (ii) The speaker of the house or the speaker's designee; and

          (iii) A)) (g) Seven representatives of ((a recognized state-wide organization of employers,)) private industry representing a large cross-section of the Washington business community, to be appointed by the governor.

          (2) ((The governor shall be the chairperson.  In the governor's absence, the secretary of state shall act as chairperson.)) The governor shall designate which member shall serve as chairperson.

          (3) The board shall meet at the call of the chairperson at least semi-annually or at the call of a member to:

          (a) Establish interagency policy guidelines for the system;

          (b) Review the findings, status, and problems of system operations and recommend courses of action;

          (c) Receive reports from industry and agency task forces;

          (d) ((Determine in questionable cases whether a specific license is to be included in the master license system;

          (e))) Review and make recommendations on rules proposed by the business license center and any amendments to or revisions of the center's rules.

          (4) The board shall submit a report to the legislature each biennium identifying the licenses that the board believes should be added to the list of those processed under the master license system.

        Sec. 3.  Section 10, chapter 182, Laws of 1982 and RCW 19.02.100 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The department shall not issue or renew a master license to any person if:

          (a) ((The person does not have a valid tax registration, if required;

          (b))) The person is a corporation delinquent in fees or penalties owing to the secretary of state or is not validly registered under Title 23A RCW, chapter 18.100 RCW, Title 24 RCW, and any other statute now or hereafter adopted which gives corporate or business licensing responsibilities to the secretary of state; or

          (((c))) (b) The person has not submitted the sum of all fees and deposits required for the requested individual license endorsements, any outstanding master license delinquency fee, or other fees and penalties to be collected through the system.

          (2) Nothing in this section shall prevent registration by the state of an employer for the purpose of paying an employee of that employer industrial insurance or unemployment insurance benefits.

        Sec. 4.  Section 11, chapter 182, Laws of 1982 and RCW 19.02.110 are each amended to read as follows:

          In addition to the licenses processed under the master license system prior to ((April 1, 1982)) July 1, 1985, on ((July 1, 1982)) October 1, 1985, use of the master license system shall be expanded as provided by this section.

          Applications for the following shall be filed with the business license center and shall be processed((,)) and renewals shall be issued((,)) only under the master license system:

          (1) Nursery dealer's licenses required by chapter 15.13 RCW;

          (2) Seed dealer's licenses required by chapter 15.49 RCW;

          (3) Pesticide dealer's licenses required by chapter 15.58 RCW;

          (4) Shopkeeper's licenses required by chapter 18.64 RCW;

          (5) Refrigerated locker licenses required by chapter 19.32 RCW;

          (6) Wholesalers licenses and retailers licenses required by  chapter 19.91 RCW;

          (7) Bakery licenses and distributor's licenses required by chapter 69.12 RCW; ((and))

          (8) Egg dealer's licenses required by chapter 69.25 RCW;

(9) Registration with the department of revenue required by RCW 82.32.030;

(10) Registration for industrial insurance required by Title 51 RCW;

(11) Registration for unemployment insurance required by Title 50 RCW;

(12) Renewal of corporate licenses required by RCW 23A.40.060 and 23A.40.140;

(13) Permit to employ minors required by RCW 49.12.123; and

(14) Trade name registration required by RCW 19.80.010.

        Sec. 5.  Section 46, chapter 182, Laws of 1982 and RCW 19.02.810 are each amended to read as follows:

          A license or permit affected by this act and otherwise valid on ((April 1, 1982)) October 1, 1985, need not be registered under the master license system until the renewal or expiration date of that license or permit under the laws in effect prior to ((April 1, 1982)) October 1, 1985, unless otherwise revoked or suspended.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 19.02 RCW to read as follows:

          No later than July 1, 1990, all existing businesses not already brought under the master license program shall be included so that they will have the advantages of license renewal available under the program.