Senate passes Kilmer bills to make government more responsive

OLYMPIA — Public employees and citizens would find it easier to report waste and abuse in government, and permit applicants would receive better information and more predictability when seeking a building permit, under a pair of bills passed recently by the Senate.

Senate Bill 5513, which would establish a toll-free Government Efficiency Hot Line, passed Monday on a 46-0 vote with two legislators absent and one excused. SB 5508, which would direct city, county and state agencies to provide more detailed information on permitting timelines, processes and applicant requirements, passed Thursday on a 47-0 vote with two excused. If passed by the House of Representatives, where they now go for consideration, the bills would then go to the governor for her signature.

“Everyone wants good government, and these bills provide that,” said Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, the bills’ sponsor. “One of my top priorities as state senator is to make government more responsive and more accountable to the needs of taxpayers.”

The toll-free Government Efficiency Hot Line would allow people to recommend measures to improve efficiency or report waste or inefficiency in government. The program was modeled after a successful program in Oregon and was supported by State Auditor Brian Sonntag.

“This is a way of empowering citizens to improve how government functions,” Kilmer said.

Under the permitting legislation, those seeking a building permit would be informed of when an application is complete, any expected fees and, in writing, any reasons for denial of a permit. Local governments’ success in providing transparent information on permitting processes would be evaluated as a criterion when such agencies apply for economic development funding through the state.

“If economic development is to proceed smoothly and effectively, it’s important that we have transparent, predictable permitting processes,” Kilmer said. “This can mean the difference between new investment and no investment. “It can mean the difference between new jobs and no jobs. This bill provides a step forward to improving consistency and dependability in the process.”

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