The 2003-05 Capital Budget directs JLARC to continue its work on the Higher Education Comparable Framework and include site and campus infrastructure, facility renewal and replacement dates, building modernization (if feasible), and GASB 34 & 35 reporting requirements.

2003 legislation sets up a strategic interoperability telecommunications executive committee to complete an inventory and a state plan for achieving interoperability of emergency communications.  JLARC and the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program (LEAP) are to provide consultation for these efforts.

Review - The Washington State Investment Board sought legislation in 2001 to allow it to pursue a separate salary survey of compensation for its staff investment officers.  JLARC is required to review this Investment Board salary survey.

2002 legislation exempts from public inspection and copying certain domestic security records, as well as information regarding the infrastructure and security of telecommunications networks and also directs JLARC to review the effect of the exemption on state agency performance in responding to requests for disclosure.

In accord with its 2003-05 work plan, JLARC is assessing the state’s fiscal reporting, accountability, and performance tracking systems. Staff have completed four individual agency performance and outcome measure reviews since August 2003.  This current review takes a broader look at performance between agencies rather than within agencies.  Specifically, this review examines how workforce and economic development efforts are connected and work together across nine different state agencies and how the Legislature can better understand the results of these coordinated efforts.

Washington’s Sunset Act now requires that entities subject to termination under that Act “develop performance measures and a data collection plan and submit them for review and comment to [JLARC].”  These measures will then serve as part of the framework for evaluating the programs’ overall effectiveness when it is time to conduct their sunset reviews.  The Office of Regualtory Assistance is not subject to future termination under the Sunset Act.  However, JLARC is required to conduct a review of it in 2006 and it was determined that it would be helpful to follow the same front-end performance measure review process.

2001 legislation expanded wildlife damage claims on agricultural land to include rangeland.  JLARC will complete a program review of the effort to reimburse landowners for damage to rangeland caused by deer and elk.

This JLARC-directed study provides a descriptive overview of Washington Medicaid and the management of it, an inventory of Medicaid-funded activities, programs and services.  Initiatives to improve the coordination of services and resources to persons receiving Medicaid-funded services are also assessed.

This JLARC-sponsored evaluation will look at the key performance and outcome measures in the Employment Security Department linked to job search efforts targeted at unemployed workers receiving Unemployment Insurance.

This JLARC-sponsored evaluation looks at the key performance and outcome measures of economic development and international trade programs within the Office of Trade and Economic Development, in the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

The 2001 Legislature directed the Department of Social and Health Services to study the prevalence of mental illness among Washington’s 14 regional support networks and JLARC to review the results of the DSHS study.

This JLARC-sponsored review of Labor and Industries’ performance-based referral system for vocational rehabilitation looks at the use of performance measures to monitor the quality and effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation providers.

JLARC itself has directed an evaluation of accountability and performance measure systems in state government for 2003-05.  Ecology is the first review, and this study looks at how their performance measures are used for accountability and internal management purposes.

JLARC’s Higher Education Facilities Preservation Study recommended ways to improve facility preservation budgeting and accountability across public colleges and universities.  The status of these recommendations are reviewed in light of the 2003 Legislature’s final budget and policy decision, which also gave JLARC new directives in the 2003-05 Capital Budget.

The University of Washington is required to report biennially to JLARC on its management of the Metropolitan Tract, a parcel of office and hotel properties, occupying approximately 11 acres in downtown Seattle.