Summary for Reporting on the Significant Legislative Rulemaking Process
The Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) per RCW 34.05.328(6) compiles a report about activities related to Significant Legislative Rules (SLR). ORIA uses the individual agency reports and stakeholder comments to prepare a report to the Governor and Legislature.
ORIA has created an Interactive Reporting Tool (IRT) for agencies to enter their SLR information. The IRT may be accessed via the Tools tab once an agency staff member or stakeholder has signed in. After agencies have completed their entries, stakeholders can view and comment. Agency responses must be complete by December 31. Stakeholders will have access to agency pages on December 28 through January 5.
Participating Agencies and Stakeholders
The twelve agencies include the departments of Ecology, Employment Security, Fish and Wildlife, Department of Health, the State Board of Health, Labor and Industries, Natural Resources, Revenue, and Social and Health Services; the Forest Practices Board; the Office of the Insurance Commissioner; and the Building Code Council.
The eight stakeholders include the Association of WA Businesses, Association of Washington Cities, Futurewise, ISOMEDIA, the Washington state office of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Washington Association of Counties, the Washington Environmental Council, and Washington State Labor Council.
The report must document (RCW 34.05.328(6)(a-f)):
(6) By January 31, 1996, and by January 31 of each even-numbered year thereafter, the office of regulatory assistance, after consulting with state agencies, counties, and cities, and business, labor, and environmental organizations, must report to the governor and the legislature regarding the effects of this section on the regulatory system in this state. The report must document:
(a) The rules proposed to which this section applied and to the extent possible, how compliance with this section affected the substance of the rule, if any, that the agency ultimately adopted;
(b) The costs incurred by state agencies in complying with this section;
(c) Any legal action maintained based upon the alleged failure of any agency to comply with this section, the costs to the state of such action, and the result;
(d) The extent to which this section has adversely affected the capacity of agencies to fulfill their legislatively prescribed mission;
(e) The extent to which this section has improved the acceptability of state rules to those regulated; and
(f) Any other information considered by the office of financial management to be useful in evaluating the effect of this section.