The department of ecology must establish and perform, within existing funds, a formal review process of its existing rules every five years. The goal of the review is to decrease the numbers of, simplify the process, and decrease the time required for obtaining licenses, permits, and inspections, as applicable, in order to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses without compromising public health and safety. Benchmarks must be adopted to assess the effectiveness of streamlining efforts. The department must establish a process for effectively applying sunset provisions to rules when applicable. The department must report back to the applicable committees of the legislature with its review process and benchmarks by January 2014.

Findings—Intent—2013 2nd sp.s. c 30: “The legislature finds that regulatory processes impose significant costs on doing business and significantly influence investment behavior, location decisions, start-up activity, expansions, and hiring. The legislature further finds that, for more than a decade, the executive and legislative branches have called upon state agencies to review their regulations to achieve meaningful regulatory reform and improve the regulatory climate for Washington businesses. However, a 2012 performance audit conducted by the state auditor’s office found that the departments of ecology, health, and labor and industries have not adopted sufficient streamlining processes or formally measured the results of their streamlining activities. Thus, it is the intent of the legislature to formally direct these three state agencies to achieve the regulatory reform that has been repeatedly called for by the governor and the legislature.” [ 2013 2nd sp.s. c 30 § 1.]