EXECUTIVE ORDER 94-07

ON REGULATORY REFORM

I. Introduction

A. Purpose. This executive order is adopted to increase public confidence in agency rule making activities, to improve coordination among state agencies, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory programs, and to avoid imposing undue burdens on business, the public, local governments, and state agencies. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Executive Order supplements Executive Order 93-06 and provides state agencies guidance in meeting their regulatory objectives. It is the purpose of this Executive Order to:

B. Philosophy of Regulation. Agency regulation is intended to benefit both the public and those who are affected by the rules. The effective use of regulation assures equal treatment for the regulated community. The use of rules provides that agency policies are made in a public setting. Ineffective regulation can result in time-consuming and expensive procedures providing little public or private benefit. In order to further the effective use of regulation, the following principles shall guide agencies in their program implementation:

C. Effect on Quasi-judicial Boards, The provisions of this Executive Order do not apply to a quasi-judicial board or commission as it relates to its adjudicatory proceedings.

II. Planning

A. Each state agency shall prepare an annual fiscal year agenda for significant rules under development. The agenda shall be adopted not later than June 30. The agenda shall be made available upon request to any person and shall be published by the agency in the Washington State Register. The agenda shall also be submitted to the director of the Office of Financial Management and to any other state agency which may reasonably be expected to have an interest in the subject of rules which will be developed.

B. Paragraph A. of Section V. of EO 93-06, directing state agencies to adopt a list of potential rule making activities, is rescinded.

III. Office of Financial Management Review Procedures

A. Quarterly Reports to the Office of Financial Management. State agencies shall submit to the Office of Financial Management each quarter a report of their rule adoption activities for the prior quarter. The report shall be provided to the Office of Financial Management in the manner and format required by the Office of Financial Management and shall include at least the following information for new, amended, and repealed rules:

B. When an agency commences a significant rule making activity, as determined by the agency, it shall provide a copy of its notice of intent, required by RCW 34.05.3 1 0(l), to the director of the Office of Financial Management and to other state agencies that may have an interest in or be affected by the rule making.

C. If a state agency director believes that another state agency is engaging in rule making activities which may potentially conflict with its rules or policies, the agency director shall notify the other agency and the director of the Office of Financial Management of his or her concern.

D. Agencies shall attempt to resolve disputes among themselves using the procedures established in EO 93-06 and RCW 34.05.310. If agencies are unable to resolve a dispute within a reasonable period of time, the director of the Office of Financial Management shall collect appropriate information concerning the dispute and, in the director's discretion, either resolve the dispute or inform the Governor of the nature of the dispute and provide a recommendation for resolution.

IV. Regulatory Fiscal Note

A. The Office of Financial Management shall revise the fiscal note form to include the following information on each bill for which a fiscal note is prepared: whether new rules are required or existing rules must be amended in order to implement the legislation, the approximate cost involved in developing those rules, the types of entities which may potentially be affected by the legislation, and whether other agencies have authority over the same subject matter.

B. In its review of agency request legislation prepared for introduction in the 1995 legislative session, the Office of Financial Management shall review the legislation to ensure that any proposed delegation of rule making authority is clear in its intent.

V. Rule Adoption Factors.

A. As early in the rule-development process as possible, but not later than the time a rule is published for comment and adoption as a permanent rule. an agency, based on reasonably available information, shall consider and prepare a written analysis of the proposed rule addressing the following:

B. The agency shall identify and assess alternative forms of regulation and, where appropriate, shall specify performance standards in addition to standards for behavior and manner of compliance.

C. If a rule proposed in order to comply with federal law contains significant differences from a comparable federal rule or standard, or if a proposed rule provides differences in application to pubic and private entities, the agency shall provide a written analysis explaining the nature of the differences, evaluating their consequences, and providing a rationale for adopting the rule as drafted.

D. An agency shall include the written analyses required by Part V in the rule making file and shall make the analyses available to any person upon request. The analyses shall be updated based on additional information received by the agency during the rule making process.

E. An agency is encouraged, but not required, to comply with this Part V when adopting an emergency rule under RCW 34.05.350.

VI. Voluntary Compliance through Technical Assistance

A. To the maximum extent feasible, within the limits of an agency's current budget and consistent with statutory requirements, an agency with regulatory enforcement authority shall promote voluntary compliance with state and federal law enforced by the agency and the agency's rules through the provision of technical assistance, including technical assistance visits.

B. For purposes of this Executive Order, technical assistance includes:

C. For the purposes of this Executive Order, a technical assistance visit is a visit of an agency employee to a facility, business, or other location that is declared by the agency employee at the beginning of the visit to be a technical assistance visit.

D. During a technical assistance visit, an agency employee shall inform the owner or operator of the facility of any violations of law- or agency rules and provide technical assistance concerning compliance.

E. Except as provided in Paragraph G:

F. An agency may reinspect a facility within a reasonable period of time after a technical assistance visit and take appropriate enforcement action for any uncorrected violations.

G. An agency employee who observes a violation during a technical assistance visit may take immediate enforcement action if

VII. Effective Dates

A. The application of this Executive Order is prospective only.

B. For fiscal year 1995, the agenda required by Part III shall be adopted not later than August 31, 1994.

C. An agency is encouraged, but is not required, to comply with the provisions of Part V of this Executive Order for any rule which is proposed for adoption by filing in the Washington State Register prior to July 31, 1994.

D. Agencies shall report the information required by Part III., Paragraph A, beginning with the calendar quarter ending September 30, 1994.

This order shall take effect immediately.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the State
of Washington to be affixed at Olympia
this 6th day of June A.D., Nineteen hundred and ninety-four.
 

 

By:

 

_________________________
MIKE LOWRY
Governor of Washington

   
BY THE GOVERNOR:  
Secretary of State  

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