Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 24, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke issues final report on state regulatory improvements

OLYMPIA – Gov. Gary Locke issued the final report detailing state agencies’ accomplishments in eliminating unnecessary state regulations and cutting red tape.

Agencies have reviewed a total of 28,776 rules since 1997 and have repealed more than 8,000. Agencies also rewrote more than 9,000 rules using a plain-English standard. In all, agencies eliminated more than 2,400 pages of the Washington Administrative Code.

“I thank all the dedicated state employees who made these improvements possible,” Locke said. “Because of their hard work and creativity we are improving services and making life simpler for citizens interacting with their government.”

With Executive Order 97-02, the governor required state agencies to review all regulations for need, reasonableness, effectiveness, clarity, fairness, public involvement, coordination among regulatory agencies and consistency with legislative intent and statutory authority.

“Our regulatory reform initiative is beginning to bear fruit,” Locke added. “I am proud of our success in improving the quality and reducing the cost of government services.”

State agency improvements include:

• Instituting new, simplified regulatory processes to save time and effort for the public and agency staff
  
  
• Developing new Internet applications that make rules, policies and other documents readily available and more understandable
  
  
• Expanding stakeholder involvement in rule-making through outreach efforts, newsletters and electronic access to rule-making activities
  
  
• Training staff and preparing plain-language manuals to make clear rule-writing the agency norm.

In addition to reviewing rules, Locke’s executive order directed state agencies to streamline and simplify policies and procedures. The report cites several examples of state agency initiatives to streamline the regulatory process.

• Employment Security improved its Internet applications and bilingual services and developed an automated fact-finding system. This year, Washington became the second state to allow filing of weekly benefit claims via the Internet.
  
  
• Revenue became a national leader by allowing businesses to file tax returns using the Internet. This system allows a business to look up tax information such as statutes and rules on the department’s home page.
  
  
• Ecology streamlined the permitting process by gaining authority to process water-right changes and eliminate backlog. It piloted a cost-reimbursement and outsourcing program that partners communities and businesses with the agency to process more timely permit decisions. Ecology also generated stormwater permit-renewal applications that could be completed electronically using existing database information. This process saved time, improved customer service and resulted in more accurate permit information.
  
  
• The Utilities and Transportation Commission increased efficiency by developing an expedited application process to meet the needs of solid waste companies. It also standardized the solid waste tariff template to increase efficiency in addressing customer complaints.

A copy of the report is available on the governor’s website under "Task Force Reports" at www.governor.wa.gov/taskcomm/taskcomm.htm.

In other actions to improve government services, Locke recently accepted the Washington Competitiveness Council recommendations to keep the state’s business climate healthy.

In its report to the governor, the Council recommended eliminating bureaucratic red tape surrounding land-use regulation and permitting. While remaining firmly committed to protecting the environment, Locke will create a coordinated system that speeds up permitting for business and citizens.

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Related Links:
- Executive Order 97-02, Regulatory Improvement
- Washington Competitiveness Council Report (Executive Summary)
- 2001 Regulatory Improvement Progress Report

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