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Washington State Agencies to Close Aug. 6
For Immediate Release: August 2, 2010
OLYMPIA � The second widespread shutdown of state agencies as a result of budget shortfalls will take place Friday, Aug. 6, 2010.
In April 2010, the state Legislature passed and Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6503. Designed to reduce state government spending for employees, the law requires that state agencies close on the 10 days specified in the bill or submit an alternate compensation reduction plan for approval by the Office of Financial Management.
The following agencies, boards or commissions will be closed Aug. 6:
Board of Accountancy
Commission on African-American Affairs
Agriculture
Archeology and Historic Preservation
Arts Commission
Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs
Commerce
Conservation Commission
Corrections
Council for Children and Families
County Road Administration Board
Criminal Justice Training Commission
Early Learning
Ecology
Office of Education Ombudsman
Employment Security (local WorkSource offices and the unemployment claims call center will remain open)
Environmental Hearings Office
Office of the Family and Children�s Ombudsman
Financial Institutions
Financial Management
Fish and Wildlife
Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board
General Administration
Governor
Growth Management Hearing Boards
Health
Health Care Authority
Higher Education Coordinating Board
Commission on Hispanic Affairs
Horse Racing Commission
Human Rights Commission
Indeterminate Sentence Review Board
Governor�s Office of Indian Affairs
Information Services
Labor and Industries
Licensing
Liquor Control Board (Liquor stores open)
Military Department
Office of Minority & Women�s Business Enterprises
Commission for National and Community Service
Personnel
Pollution Liability Insurance Agency
Printing
Public Disclosure Commission
Puget Sound Partnership
Recreation and Conservation Office
Department of Retirement Systems
Citizen Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials
Sentencing Guidelines Commission
Social and Health Services
State Patrol
Board of Tax Appeals
Traffic Safety Commission
Transportation Improvement Board
Utilities and Transportation Commission
Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
The law specifies exemptions to allow certain public safety, public health and revenue-generation activities to continue. Services provided by such employees as child protection workers, community corrections officers, emergency public health and patient safety workers, and State Patrol field enforcement and investigative service personnel will not be affected.
In addition, institutions of higher education were required by law to submit compensation reduction plans to avoid office closures. Most offices headed by separately elected officials (Secretary of State, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Auditor, Attorney General and Commissioner of Public Lands) also have submitted compensation reduction plans. However, most state agencies are scheduled to close their offices on the dates specified.
Additional closures will take place:
2010: Sept. 7, Oct. 11, Dec. 27
2011: Jan. 28, Feb. 22, March 11, April 22, June 10
For a complete list of which agencies are closed Aug. 6 and through 2010�11, go to http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/agency_list.pdf.
The closures will save more than $70 million in all funds in 2010�11. The temporary layoff law was passed as part of a series of measures to address an almost $12 billion shortfall during the 2009�11 budget period.
For more information on state agency closures, visit http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/.