WHEREAS, It is the explicit intention of the Legislature, as expressed in Section 194 of Chapter 269, Washington Laws, 1975, First Extraordinary Session, to limit fluctuations in biennial spending patterns which tend to inflate the final current level base and,

WHEREAS, I am currently reviewing agency budget requests in relation to the current level base expenditures, for purposes of presenting a comprehensive budget proposal for the 1977-1979 Biennium to the current session of the Legislature;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dixy Lee Ray, Governor of the State of Washington, by virtue of the power vested in me by RCW 43.88 do establish an expenditure control program. This program applies to all executive branch agencies, and is designed to preclude instances of abnormal expenditure patterns occurring near the close of the current biennium. This program will take effect immediately this 27th day of January 1977 and extend through the period ending June 30, 1977. The following administrative measures are hereby established to effect this expenditure control program:

1. Lapsing of Unexpended Balances -- The Budget Director shall lapse to reserve any unexpended or unobligated balance existing on December 31, 1976 in each appropriation made for operations for the current biennium. He shall effect similar lapsing to reserve of unexpended balances at the close of each remaining month of the biennium.

2. Staffing -- Agency directors are instructed to fill no new positions, or positions vacated during the period of effectivity of this Order. Exceptions to this directive will be granted only for critical or emergent situations for which there is clear evidence that compliance with this directive could be detrimental to the public being served or the best interest of the state. Directors, or their designees, from the following agencies, representing their respective personnel jurisdictions shall compose a committee to be chaired by the Budget Director to establish criteria and propose procedures for the granting of exceptions to this directive: the Department of Personnel, the Higher Education Personnel Board, the Washington State Patrol, and the Council for Postsecondary Education. Criteria and procedures developed by this committee shall be approved by the Governor prior to implementation.

3. Consulting Services -- No further personal. service contracts subject to the filing requirements of RCW 39.29.010, shall be obligated without the explicit, prior review and approval of the Budget Director. Such review and approval shall place primary emphasis on assuring that such personal services are consistent with needs of the benefiting program and with legislative intent. It shall further assure that the specific personal services are not being sought as a means of circumventing the staffing directive of this Order.

4. Overtime -- Agency directors are instructed to reduce wherever possible the use of overtime and other premium pay and to avoid the use of these compensations as a means of circumventing the staffing directive of this Order.

5. Procurement of Equipment, Supplies, and Materials -- The Purchasing Division of the Department of General Administration and the procurement agencies of the higher education institutions are directed to monitor all purchasing actions for the remainder of the biennium. No stockpiling of materials or supplies above normal levels or abnormal increases in equipment purchases beyond what is essential for normal operations is to be approved.

6. Travel -- All travel by state employees is hereby limited to that which is critically necessary to carry out state programs. No trips are to be taken for the purpose of attending conferences, conventions, or training programs unless the attendee is a formal part of the program delivering an address or is a convention official whose attendance is mandatory. Emphasis on travel reduction will be placed on both in and out-of-state travel.

7. Applicability -- The directives of this Order are equally applicable to all executive branch agencies, except those headed by elected officials, inasmuch as such exception to the allotment and reserve procedure is established by RCW 43.88.110. They also apply to all funding sources subject to allotment procedures.

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