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Today’s Presentation

Improving Regulation in Washington State Washington Economic Development Association 2013 Winter Conference February 11, 2013 Larisa Benson, Director of Performance Audit Deborah Stephens, Senior Performance Auditor. Today’s Presentation. Washington State Auditor’s Office What we do

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Today’s Presentation

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  1. Improving Regulation in Washington StateWashington Economic Development Association2013 Winter Conference February 11, 2013Larisa Benson, Director of Performance AuditDeborah Stephens, Senior Performance Auditor

  2. Today’s Presentation Washington State Auditor’s Office • What we do • Our focus on improving regulation State level: Our first audit in a series • Inventory of regulations • Website access to business information • Streamlining business rules Local level: Local Government Performance Center • How we help local governments improve performance • Examples • Kitsap success story

  3. Why Focus on Regulation? Labor & Industries • Businesses and citizens face a complex maze of state and local laws and regulations in Washington • For example, someone wanting to open a convenience store with a gas pump needs up to a dozen or more regulatory approvals Lottery Secretary of State Liquor Control Board Ecology Health Local regulations Agriculture Revenue Licensing Employment Security Social & Health Services

  4. Why Focus on Regulation? • Regulation is a core government function • Businesses and citizens need clear, timely regulatory processes to minimize the cost to regulators and those being regulated • Businesses and citizens are subject to penalties and fines when they don’t comply with regulations • Citizens want better results from government Two approaches to improving regulation • Series of Regulatory Reform Audits • Local Government Performance Center—Permit Streamlining

  5. Our Regulatory Reform Audits Inventory of Regulations Website Access to Business Information Streamlining Business Rules Permit Timeliness

  6. Inventory of Regulations What we did • 26 regulatory agencies • 1,377 permits, licenses and inspections • Agencies helped by checking for accuracy • The inventory will form the foundation for all future audits about regulatory reform • Published onlinewww.sao.wa.gov/EN/Audits/PerformanceAudit/Pages/RegReform.aspx • The state did not have an inventory of business regulations, so we created one • Scope: Business permits, licenses, and inspections

  7. Inventory of Regulations The inventory is published on our website

  8. Inventory of Regulations Sample spreadsheet – Dept. of Financial Institutions

  9. Our First Regulatory Reform Audits Inventory of Regulations Website Access to Business Information Streamlining Business Rules Permit Timeliness

  10. Website Access to Business Information Our audit question • Do Washington state government websites effectively provide regulatory information to businesses? What we did • Reviewed Washington’s three central business websites for complete information • Reviewed 26 agency websites for complete information and ease of use

  11. Website Access to Business Information What we found Business.wa.gov • Created in 2006 as the state’s “single, secure, online portal” for businesses. • Its “Licenses, Permits, and Inspections” tab contains: • Links to 7 of the state’s 26 regulatory agencies • Links to BLS and ORA websites

  12. Website Access to Business Information What we found Business Licensing Service (BLS) First created in 1977 as the state’s “one-stop master licensing system.” • It provides: • 16% of the state’s business licenses • 2 of the top 10most- requested licenses

  13. Website Access to Business Information What we found Office of Regulatory Assistance (ORA) Required to provide “information on….permitting and regulatory requirements”. • Its handbook contains: • Information on 32%of the state’s business permits • Permits are exclusively environmental

  14. Website Access to Business Information What we found • Regulatory information on 26 agency websites is incomplete • No agency provided all regulatory information for all permits and licenses • Purpose • Who needs it • How to apply • Fee • Processing time • The business portions of the agency websites do not share a common look and feel, and they are not all easy to use • 23% of permits and licenses tell businesses online how long it will take the agency to process them

  15. Website Access to Business Information Recommendations To help facilitate the longer-term vision of a one-stop portal for all business transactions while meeting current user needs: • Continue to pursue a one-stop in the long term • Add content to the three central business websites in the short term • Develop standards for clear, consistent, and usable business portions of agency websites • Provide completeregulatory information on agency websites

  16. Our First Regulatory Reform Audits Inventory of Regulations Website Access to Business Information Streamlining Business Rules Permit Timeliness

  17. Streamlining Business Rules Our audit question • Do Washington regulatory agencies have processes in place to streamline their business rules consistent with governors’ orders? What we did • Surveyed agencies to learn about their streamlining practices based on governors’ executive orders • Visited 11 agencies that said they did extensive streamlining

  18. Streamlining Business Rules What we found • Agencies are streamlining some, but not all, of their rules • Several agencies could improve their streamlining efforts by documenting a regular, criteria-based process • None of the agencies are measuring results to see if streamlining is producing its intended effects

  19. Streamlining Business Rules Recommendations To ensure existing regulatory rules are necessary, clear, and consistent: • Improve rule streamlining processes • Improve accountability • Holding agencies accountable for measurable results • Monitoring results through a reporting structure

  20. Our Regulatory Reform Audits Inventory of Regulations Website Access to Business Information Streamlining Business Rules Permit Timeliness

  21. Permit Timeliness Our audit questions • Agency permit processing information • Business engagement • Survey • Focus groups • Permit process evaluations • How much time does it take regulatory agencies to make business permit decisions? • Can agencies reduce the time it takes them to make permit decisions? What we are doing

  22. Local Government Performance Center

  23. Local Government Performance Center What is the Local Government Performance Center? The Local Government Performance Center is an initiative within the State Auditor’s Office. We offer tools and training to help local leaders who want their governments to work better, cost less, and improve the value of their services to citizens. Our goal: better results for citizens and customers at lower cost to local governments and taxpayers

  24. How we help local governments improve performance What local government leaders told us they need help with: • Evaluating and improving local government performance • Managing more cost effectively; more responsive to customers • Transparent reporting on performance and engaging citizens Local Government Performance Center Resources include: • An online resource center with downloadable tools and examples • www.sao.wa.gov/performancecenter • Training on how to improve government services • Customized on-site training sessions (on request and within available resources)

  25. Five examples of what we’re doing 1) Demystifying tools like “lean management” • Training plus creating a peer-support network to help governments learn and use process improvement methods to develop faster, cheaper delivery systems. 2) Cell phone savings: one audit, many applications • Sharing lessons learned from a recent state audit in a checklist format helps local governments like Pierce County save money on their cell phone costs. 3) Citizen engagement tools and resources • Citizen survey project with Walla Walla engaged citizens and influenced budget decisions. 4) Performance measure training and assessments • Training on performance measures plus auditor assessments of how local governments use performance data and ways they can improve. City of Dupont, Thurston County Sheriff. 5) Public safety staffing model analysis • Helps local public safety leaders evaluate costs of overtime versus adding staff. • Training formats include classroom style, webinar, and on-site.

  26. What does it mean to “lean out” a permitting process? Kitsap County: Pre-lean Map

  27. Before . . . and After! Kitsap County: Post-lean Map

  28. The New Lean Permitting Office Status Board Pod

  29. Kitsap County Permit Streamlining Results

  30. What do the customers have to say? • “Really? Are you kidding?” • I don’t have financing yet.” (Developer) • My guys aren’t ready to be mobilized.” • “I can put my guys to work?” • Thank you. My customers doubted it would be this quick.” • “That wasn’t hard.” • “I’ll be there within the hour.” • “Unbelievable.” • “I really believe those people care.”

  31. Using Lean to Streamline County Permits • Kitsap County: reduced from 21 to 6 days on single family home permits • Clark County: target to reduce single family home permits from 23 to 12 days • Island County: target to reduce shoreline exemptions from 90 days to 45 days

  32. Contacts Troy Kelly State Auditor (360) 902-0360 Troy.Kelly@sao.wa.gov Larisa Benson Director of Performance Audit (360) 725-9720 Larisa.Benson@sao.wa.gov Deborah Stephens Senior Performance Auditor (360) 725-9727 Deborah.Stephens@sao.wa.gov Website:www.sao.wa.gov Twitter: www.twitter.com/WAStateAuditor

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