PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Adjust the grain inspection fee schedule (effective September 1999) to reflect the allowable growth rate of 3.32% for FY 2000 for all rates charged or fixed on an hourly basis and unit fees for submitted grain, graded commodity and miscellaneous commodity samples. Remove the "Scale Certification--Weights and Measures Specialist" hourly rate from the grain inspection program fee schedule. Change the title of chapter 16-212 WAC from "Grain, hay, beans, and peas--Inspection fees" to "WSDA grain inspection program--Fee schedule."
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 22.09 RCW.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The proposed fee increases are projected to recoup, in part, financial encumbrances due to a rise in the employer share of the health insurance package and in the labor and industries medical aid premiums (both effective July 1998), an increase in the state of Washington self insurance liability program and expenditures due to changes in GIPSA/FGIS equipment requirements. The program also anticipates additional expenditures for legislatively mandated salary increases in September of 1999 and September of 2000. The fee increase is expected to recover a portion of these increases. The removal of the scale specialist citation will move billing responsibility for the service to the weights and measures program. The change in the title of the WAC is for clarity.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The federal grain inspection service must approve fee schedule changes.
Process for Developing New Rule: [No information supplied by agency.]
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Randall R. Deike, Grain Inspection Program Manager, Commodity Inspection Division, 1111 Washington Street S.E., P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1921, fax (360) 902-2085, TDD (360) 902-1996.
March 24, 1999
Robert W. Gore
Assistant Director