HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5712

BYSenator Kreidler

Changing provisions relating to the environmental hearings office.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; D. Sommers, Ranking Republican Member; Brekke, G. Fisher, Fraser, Phillips, Pruitt, Schoon, Sprenkle and Walker.

House Staff:Harry Reinert (786-7110)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 26, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Environmental Hearings Office is composed of the Pollution Control Hearings Board, the Forest Practices Appeals Board, and the Shorelines Hearings Board.  The chairman of the Pollution Control Hearings Board acts as the chief executive officer of the Environmental Hearings Office.  The chief executive officer has authority to appoint staff as necessary for the business of the office.

The Pollution Control Hearings Board has jurisdiction to review many actions of the Department of Ecology.  The board has authority to appoint hearing examiners.  The findings of the hearing examiners must be formally approved by the board.

SUMMARY:

The chief executive officer of the Environmental Hearings Office may appoint one or more administrative appeals judges, who must have a demonstrated knowledge of environmental law and must be admitted to practice law in this state.  The administrative appeals judges are not subject to civil service.  The chief executive officer may appoint other staff and fix their compensation.

The authority of the Pollution Control Hearings Board to appoint hearing examiners is deleted.

Several changes are made to the Pollution Control Hearings Board statutes to conform to the new Administrative Procedures Act and to make other technical corrections.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.