19.02.010 - Purpose -- Intent. - Washington Statutes

Purpose — Intent.

Experience under the pilot program of the business coordination act suggests that the number of state licenses required for new businesses and the renewal of existing licenses places an undue burden on business. Studies under this act also show that the state can reduce its costs by coordinating and consolidating application forms, information, and licenses. Therefore, the legislature extends the business coordination act by establishing a business license program and license center to develop and implement the following goals and objectives:

     (1) The first goal of this system is to provide a convenient, accessible, and timely one-stop system for the business community to acquire and maintain the necessary state licenses to conduct business. This system shall be developed and operated in the most cost-efficient manner for the business community and state. The objectives of this goal are:

     (a) To provide a service whereby information is available to the business community concerning all state licensing and regulatory requirements, and to the extent feasible, include local and federal information concerning the same regulated activities;

     (b) To provide a system which will enable state agencies to efficiently store, retrieve, and exchange license information with due regard to privacy statutes; to issue and renew master licenses where such licenses are appropriate; and to provide appropriate support services for this objective;

     (c) To provide at designated locations one consolidated application form to be completed by any given applicant; and

     (d) To provide a statewide system of common business identification.

     (2) The second goal of this system is to aid business and the growth of business in Washington state by instituting a master license system that will reduce the paperwork burden on business, and promote the elimination of obsolete and duplicative licensing requirements by consolidating existing licenses and applications.

     It is the intent of the legislature that the authority for determining if a requested license shall be issued shall remain with the agency legally authorized to issue the license.

     It is the further intent of the legislature that those licenses which no longer serve a useful purpose in regulating certain business activities should be eliminated.

[1982 c 182 § 1; 1977 ex.s. c 319 § 1.]