The Office of Regulatory Assistance (ORA) is scheduled to terminate in 2007, pursuant to the Washington Sunset Act. As required by this legislation, JLARC conducted a sunset review to assist policymakers with deciding whether the ORA should be continued, modified, or terminated. ORA can demonstrate it fully or partially complied with eight out of ten statutory duties. The public has increasingly used ORA’s services, but cannot yet evaluate the office’s efficiency. ORA has been doing its work, but has not invested adequate time to record and track sufficient details and outcomes. Finally, JLARC does not have evidence indicating ORA duplicates the activities of other organizations. Based on available evidence, JLARC recommends that lawmakers change the RCW termination date enabling ORA to continue as presently authorized. JLARC also recommends that ORA act to remedy gaps so that by June 2008, it can more completely demonstrate performance outcomes for the customers it serves and compliance with statutory requirements.

Karen Barrett, Analyst
Ruta Fanning, Project Supervisor