(1) The office of regulatory assistance is created in the office of financial management and must be administered by the office of the governor to help improve the regulatory system and assist citizens, businesses, and project proponents.
(2) The governor must appoint a director. The director may employ a deputy director and a confidential secretary and such staff as are necessary, or contract with another state agency pursuant to chapter
39.34 RCW for support in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
(3) The office must offer to:
(a) Act as the central point of contact for the project proponent in communicating about defined issues;
(b) Conduct project scoping as provided in RCW
43.42.050;
(c) Verify that the project proponent has all the information needed to correctly apply for all necessary permits;
(d) Provide general coordination services;
(e) Coordinate the efficient completion among participating agencies of administrative procedures, such as collecting fees or providing public notice;
(f) Maintain contact with the project proponent and the permit agencies to promote adherence to agreed schedules;
(g) Assist in resolving any conflict or inconsistency among permit requirements and conditions;
(h) Coordinate, to the extent practicable, with relevant federal permit agencies and tribal governments;
(i) Facilitate meetings;
(j) Manage a fully coordinated permit process, as provided in RCW
43.42.060; and
(k) Help local jurisdictions comply with the requirements of chapter
36.70B RCW.
(4) The office must also:
(a) Provide information to local jurisdictions about best permitting practices, methods to improve communication with, and solicit early involvement of, state agencies when needed, and effective means of assessing and communicating expected project timelines and costs;
(b) Maintain and furnish information as provided in RCW
43.42.040;
(c) Act as the central entity to collaborate with and provide support to state agencies in meeting the requirements of the regulatory fairness act, chapter
19.85 RCW. Support must include, but is not limited to:
(i) Providing online guidance and tools. Online guidance and tools may include templates and resources to assist agency employees with consistent compliance with the regulatory fairness act, chapter
19.85 RCW. In providing online guidance and tools the office must consult the office of the attorney general. The office will make the online guidance and tools available by December 31, 2017;
(ii) Providing access to available data for agencies to complete cost calculations pursuant to chapter
19.85 RCW; and
(iii) Facilitating sharing of information among agencies and between agencies and business associations;
(d) Provide the following by September 1, 2009, and biennially thereafter, to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature:
(i) A performance report including:
(A) Information regarding use of the office's voluntary cost-reimbursement services as provided in RCW
43.42.070;
(B) The number and type of projects or initiatives where the office provided services including the key agencies with which the office partnered;
(C) Specific information on any difficulty encountered in providing services or implementing programs, processes, or assistance tools; and
(D) Trend reporting that allows comparisons between statements of goals and performance targets and the achievement of those goals and targets; and
(ii) Recommendations on system improvements including, but not limited to, recommendations on improving environmental permitting by making it more time efficient and cost-effective for all participants in the process.
