Rep. Morgan Irwin’s bill increasing efficiency in state facilities gains House approval
A bill relating to the efficient use of state facilities received unanimous approval by the state House of Representatives on Monday.
House Bill 1828, introduced by 31st District Rep. Morgan Irwin, would require the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to conduct space utilization studies to establish standards for use of state-acquired real estate, and evaluate opportunities for co-location and consolidation of properties.
“This bill is about smaller, more efficient government,” said Irwin, R-Enumclaw. “It's about holding state agencies honest and accountable for the use of space in their facilities. If there is under-utilized space, the state needs to combine multiple agencies rather than spending taxpayer dollars to obtain new real estate. This is an area where the state can find savings to keep taxes low and help fund education.”
Currently, the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) and OFM are responsible for acquiring and managing real estate on behalf of the state. Irwin's bill would reduce the confusion regarding the roles and responsibilities of these agencies to help increase efficient use of state-owned facilities.
HB 1828 now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
