SB 5968 — Improving regulatory efficiency by integrating executive order 25-03, concerning permitting and licensing processes, into chapter 43.42A RCW.

S-4235.1Z-0576.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5968 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Krishnadasan, Liias, and Shewmake;

by request of Governor Ferguson)Ferguson READPrefiled FIRST01/05/26. TIME 01/26/26.

Read first time 01/12/26.

Referred to Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.

1 SSBSB 5968 government accountable to a high level of customer service and timeliness.

2 SSBSB 5968 (bb) State lottery commission;

or (j) IssuedThat by the departmentagency ofand naturalthe resourcesoffice actingjointly indetermine itsshould proprietarybe landexcluded managementfrom capacity,the includingdefinition but not limited to sales, leases, easements, rights-of-way, land use licenses, rights of p.a credential.

3Upon SSBapproval 5968by entry, or other contracts or proprietary decisions related to the usep. of public lands or real property interests;

or3 (k)SB That5968 theoffice, agencyan andexcluded thecredential officeis jointlynot determinesubject shouldto beany excludedrequirement fromof thethis definitionchapter ofunless aotherwise credential.expressly provided.

Upon approval by the office, an excluded credential is not subject to any requirement of this chapter unless otherwise expressly provided.

and (ii) The permit decision time, which is the time elapsed from receipt of a complete application to the agency's issuance of a decision approving or denying the permit)) and, on or before March 1st of each year, shall submit to the office the data required under p.

4 SSBSB 5968 (ii) The permit decision time, which is the time elapsed from receipt of a complete application to the agency's issuance of a decision approving or denying the permit)) and, on or before March 1st of each year, shall submit to the office the data required under this section and section 6(1) of this act for the prior calendar year.

p.(b) The maximum application completion time, excluding applications that were withdrawn or never completed;

5 SSB 5968 (b) The maximum application completion time, excluding applications that were withdrawn or never completed;

(4)p. Each agency shall report to the office, as provided in this subsection (4).

5 SB 5968 (4) Each agency shall report to the office, as provided in this subsection (4).

or (b) Required data for one or more reporting elements in subsection (1) of this section are permanently unavailable.

TheApplications agencymay mustnot obtainbe officeexcluded approvaldue andto providedata documentedsystem justificationdeficiencies demonstratingfor thatapplications thereceived unavailabilityon isor notafter theJanuary result1, of2025. an intentional failure to collect information required under this chapter.

The agency must obtain office approval and provide documented justification demonstrating that the unavailability is not the result of a failure to collect information required under this chapter.

(5) The office shall make available to the legislature, upon request, the individual agency reports submitted under ((subsection (4) of)) this section.

6 SSBSB 5968 (5)Sec. The office shall make available to the legislature, upon request, the individual agency reports submitted under ((subsection (4) of)) this section.

Sec.

(4))), improves credential processing times, and creates a single, authoritative source of information for applicants, the p.office shall, in consultation with Washington technology solutions and state agencies with authority to issue credentials, establish and maintain on the office's website a statewide credential catalog and central online repository of credential information.

7p. SSB 5968 office shall, in consultation with Washington technology solutions and state agencies with authority to issue credentials, establish and maintain on the office's website a statewide credential catalog and central online repository of credential information.

7 SB 5968 (2) Each agency shall prepare and maintain entries in the statewide credential catalog for all credentials the agency issues.

(o) A summary of required postapproval actions, including inspections, monitoring, recordkeeping, continuing education requirements, or associated dependencies;

8 SSBSB 5968 (o)(p) AOpportunities summaryidentified ofby requiredthe postapprovalagency actions,to includingstreamline inspections,approval monitoring,processes recordkeeping,and continuingreduce educationunnecessary, requirements,duplicative, or associatedobsolete dependencies;requirements;

(p) Opportunities identified by the agency to streamline approval processes and reduce unnecessary, duplicative, or obsolete requirements;

(4) Each agency must update, at reasonable intervals, the information it submits to and posts through the statewide credential p.

9 SSBSB 5968 (4) Each agency must update, at reasonable intervals, the information it submits to and posts through the statewide credential catalog and central repository under this section.

(((3))) (2) Beginning with the ((2016 report)) 2027 reporting period, the office must identify ((permits)) credentials with processing and decision times that are most improved and processing and decision times that are most in need of improvement, as indicated p.

10 SSBSB 5968 processing and decision times that are most improved and processing and decision times that are most in need of improvement, as indicated by the performance data collected under RCW 43.42A.020.

The office shall establish guidance for agencies on the reporting requirements in this chapter, including how to calculate reporting p.

11 SSBSB 5968 The office shall establish guidance for agencies on the reporting requirements in this chapter, including how to calculate reporting metrics, approved alternative processing or reporting methodologies, and circumstances where data may be excluded.

12 SSBSB 5968