Office of Financial Management
Budget Division, Operations
Dec
ember 2020
AGENCY
FISCAL
NOTE
INSTRUCTIONS
2021-23 Biennium
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 1 of 36 December 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................................. 1
About These Instructions ............................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
The Fiscal Note Process ................................................................................................................................ 4
What is a fiscal note? ........................................................................................................................................... 4
The role of agencies ............................................................................................................................................ 4
The fiscal note process ....................................................................................................................................... 4
The 10-year analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Guidelines for Preparing Fiscal Notes .................................................................................................. 6
Follow these guidelines when preparing fiscal notes ................................................................................... 6
Completing Fiscal Notes in FNS.............................................................................................................. 8
Introduction to FNS ........................................................................................................................................... 8
Accessing FNS ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Getting started: the console page and creating a fiscal note .................................................................... 10
Agency Info tab.................................................................................................................................................. 13
Summary tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Cash Receipts tab ............................................................................................................................................... 15
FTEs tab .............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Operating tab ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
Capital tab ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
New Rules tab .................................................................................................................................................... 20
10-Yr Analysis tab.............................................................................................................................................. 21
Viewing and releasing the fiscal note to OFM ............................................................................................ 25
Other Fiscal Notes System Features ................................................................................................... 26
Customizing the console view ........................................................................................................................ 26
Monitoring fiscal note status ........................................................................................................................... 26
Vi
ewing fiscal note request information ....................................................................................................... 27
Modifying a fiscal note ..................................................................................................................................... 27
Revising a fiscal note ......................................................................................................................................... 28
Bookmarking a fiscal note ............................................................................................................................... 29
Attaching documents ........................................................................................................................................ 30
Copying information from other source documents ................................................................................. 30
Initiating an unsolicited fiscal note request .................................................................................................. 32
Viewing distributed fiscal notes ...................................................................................................................... 33
Using the search function ................................................................................................................................ 34
Deleting a version of a fiscal note .................................................................................................................. 34
Extracting data.................................................................................................................................................... 35
System password maintenance ....................................................................................................................... 35
Appendix.............................................................................................................................................................. 36
Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................... 36
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 2 of 36 December 2020
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Login page............................................................................................................................................ 9
Figure 2: Agency fiscal note management icon........................................................................................... 10
Figure 3: FNS preferences ............................................................................................................................... 11
Figure 4: Create a new fiscal note .................................................................................................................. 11
Figure 5: Create a new version........................................................................................................................ 12
Figure 6: Fiscal Note tabs ................................................................................................................................ 12
Figure 7: Agency Info tab ................................................................................................................................ 13
Figure 8: Summary tab ...................................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 9: Cash Receipts tab ............................................................................................................................. 16
Figure 10: FTEs tab .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 11: Operating tab .................................................................................................................................. 18
Figure 12: Capital tab ........................................................................................................................................ 20
Figure 13: New Rules tab ................................................................................................................................. 21
Figure 14: 10-Yr Analysis tab .......................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 15: Release to OFM.............................................................................................................................. 26
Figure 16: Fiscal note views............................................................................................................................. 26
Figure 17: View status of fiscal notes ............................................................................................................ 26
Figure 18: Fiscal note request information .................................................................................................. 27
Figure 19: Modify fiscal note page ................................................................................................................. 28
Figure 20: Create a new fiscal note version ................................................................................................. 28
Figure 21: Bookmark a fiscal note ................................................................................................................. 29
Figure 22: Attaching documents .................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 23: Template guidelines ....................................................................................................................... 31
Figu
re 24: Unsolicited fiscal note request .................................................................................................... 32
Figure 25: Find bills ........................................................................................................................................... 32
Figure 26: View fiscal note .............................................................................................................................. 33
Figure 27: The search function ....................................................................................................................... 34
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 3 of 36 December 2020
ABOUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Introduction
These Agency Fiscal Note Instructions provide the information you need to prepare and submit
fiscal notes to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and to the Legislature. It presents the
required fiscal note elements and describes how to use the Fiscal Note System (FNS).
Y
ou can view distributed fiscal notes at the OFM website: fortress.wa.gov/ofm/fnspublic
. If you
need technical assistance using FNS, contact the OFM Help Desk at HereToHelp@ofm.wa.gov or
360-407-9100.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 4 of 36 December 2020
THE FISCAL NOTE PROCESS
What is a fiscal note?
A fiscal note is an objective statement of the fiscal impact of proposed legislation and linked to a
particular version of a bill, a draft bill or a bill amendment. A fiscal note’s primary purpose is to
provide the most reasonable estimate of the proposed legislation’s expenditure and cash receipt
implications using the best and most rationale set of assumptions. There are three types of fiscal
notes: state, local and judicial. The majority of fiscal note requests come from legislative staff. OFM
agency staff may also request fiscal notes subject to OFM’s approval.
L
egislators, legislative staff, OFM, agency staff, journalists, lobbyists and citizens who participate in
the legislative process use fiscal notes. Used primarily during the legislative session, fiscal notes help
to determine the direction and funding level of proposed changes at all levels. They are also used
after the legislative session ends for research, financial analyses and to develop future budget
requests.
The role of agencies
Agencies, as the subject matter experts, prepare fiscal notes to estimate the cost of implementing
legislative proposals on affected programs. Explaining the costs requires identifying and presenting
workload drivers and the most reasonable implementation scenario. Fiscal notes must be factual and
objective, and share assumptions with other agencies that also prepare fiscal notes on the same
legislation. Assumptions used by multiple agencies to prepare a fiscal note on the same bill must be
consistent and fit into one cohesive package.
The fiscal note process
The Legislature, OFM or agencies initiate a fiscal note request through FNS. The fiscal note request
must specify:
• The bill, initiative, draft bill or amendment to analyze.
• The name of the individual making the request.
• A legislative staff contact and phone number.
• The due date.
• Any special instructions, including hearing information.
U
pon receiving the fiscal note request, an OFM analyst reads the associated bill or draft to
determine which agencies should prepare the fiscal note. OFM designates a lead agency and assigns
an OFM analyst to review the completed note. OFM then sends the request to the assigned agencies
via FNS along with an email notification. The request information is immediately available in FNS,
which also includes a link to the bill or draft language.
E
ach assigned agency prepares a fiscal note for its own agency. The Local Government Fiscal Note
Program within the Department of Commerce prepares local government fiscal notes. The Office
of the Administrator for the Courts prepares judicial impact fiscal notes. OFM or an existing
agency with the relevant knowledge prepares fiscal impact notes on legislation that have a broad
statewide impact or create a new agency.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 5 of 36 December 2020
The lead agency is responsible for coordinating shared assumptions that underlie the fiscal notes
prepared by other agencies on the same bill or proposal. This may involve all of the affected
agencies getting together to discuss the bill and assumptions. As soon as possible, the lead agency
should record its assumptions in FNS on the Request tab. This allows other agencies involved to
access those assumptions.
After the agencies approve a fiscal note internally, they release and transmit the note to OFM for
review. FNS supports the preparation, review, approval and transmittal steps.
I
n most cases, legislative staff request a fiscal note to ensure that fiscal impact information is
available when a bill is considered in committee. This means the Legislature needs the fiscal note
at least 24 hours before the scheduled hearing. OFM assigns a due date accordingly — generally
72 hours, or three days, in advance, to cover contingencies. Local government fiscal notes are
usually assigned a due date that is seven calendar days from the date of the request. It may be helpful
for preparers to realize that far more bills are heard than are voted out of committee.
A
ttentiveness to hearing dates is important, especially if the hearing occurs prior to the due
date assigned by OFM. FNS indicates the next scheduled hearing date associated with each request
to assist all parties in meeting what are often quick turnaround requirements.
O
FM reviews fiscal notes for approved format, accuracy, reasonableness and completeness before
distributing to the Legislature. The assigned OFM budget analyst may contact an agency with
questions or request a revised note as needed.
A fiscal note is not official and final until distributed by OFM.
After approval, OFM uses FNS to distribute the completed fiscal note packages electronically. FNS
posts completed fiscal notes to the OFM website
. FNS also sends an email that includes a link to the
published fiscal note to all who request one, to the OFM budget analyst and to the agency.
A
gencies must submit fiscal notes to OFM for review, approval and formal distribution. Agencies
are not to distribute fiscal notes directly, but may share draft fiscal notes with legislative staff to
facilitate communication. This should be coordinated with their OFM analyst. Draft fiscal notes
should be clearly marked “DRAFT” to ensure that they are not mistaken for an approved fiscal note.
The 10-year analysis
RCW 43.135.031 (I-960) requires that OFM determine the 10-year cost to tax and fee payers of any
proposed legislation that would raise taxes, impose new fees or increase current fees. OFM asks
agencies to develop 10-year cost analyses, which OFM then uses to formulate the 10-year cost
projection. OFM distributes the 10-year cost projection via email to every legislator and members of
the public and media who subscribe to the GovDelivery email notification service.
FNS supports the
request, preparation, review and publication of the 10-year analyses.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 6 of 36 December 2020
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING FISCAL NOTES
Follow these guidelines when preparing fiscal notes
First, read the bill. Read the entire bill before preparing your analysis. Understand which sections
apply to your agency and which sections create a fiscal impact for your agency.
Clearly communicate the results of your analysis. The fiscal note plays a key role in the legislative
decision-making process. It is important for legislators to understand why the bill costs money and
what the key cost drivers are. Clearly indicate which portions of the bill create or drive costs and
why and how those costs are calculated.
I
f the cost impact is indeterminate, provide some illustrative information or range of
scenarios. Agencies must select the single fiscal estimate that reflects the most likely assumptions
and scenario. If no one scenario is likely to occur, pick a number that represents the middle of the
range. Enter the fiscal estimate in the financial section of the note. Include an explanation that will
help the reader appreciate the factors that make it difficult to develop a reliable estimate.
S
tate and share your assumptions. Clearly explain the agency’s understanding of what the bill is
proposing, how the agency would implement the proposal and any other key cost-related
assumptions upon which you based the analysis. In other words, ensuring the reader understands the
fiscal note helps maintain your agency’s credibility.
B
ase your assumptions on the least expensive way to implement the legislation. It is possible
to use more than one set of assumptions, as long as they are reasonable, explicit and not chosen to
sway opinion on the bill.
S
tarting point. Fiscal notes should include the incremental change from the current budget or
current law. The starting point for a fiscal note should be the funding level that matches the current
enacted budget or current law. Fiscal notes should represent the incremental change from that
baseline each year. If your agency is preparing a fiscal note on a bill assumed in the Governor’s
budget, prepare the fiscal note using the same cost assumed in the Governor’s budget.
D
escribe the changes between bill versions. For fiscal notes prepared on subsequent bill versions,
include an explanation of the changes made from one version of the legislation to the next. Place
this explanation in the description on the Summary tab. This will help expedite OFM’s review of
subsequent fiscal notes, as well as help legislators and legislative staff to understand and track the
changes from one version to the next.
B
e objective and factual. The primary purpose of a fiscal note is to provide the best possible
estimate of the expenditure and cash receipt impacts of proposed legislation. It should be factual,
informative, concise and as objective as possible.
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espond to the bill language. A fiscal note should focus on the cost implication of only one bill,
without considering the potential impact of other bills or speculation beyond language actually
contained in the proposal.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 7 of 36 December 2020
Do not discuss bill merits. Comments or opinions relative to the merits of a bill are not appropriate
in a fiscal note. Make such comments through other means, including testimony, meetings or letters
to legislators.
A
void jargon. Write the fiscal note’s narrative for a general audience. Be clear and avoid overuse of
jargon and acronyms. When using an acronym for the first time, spell it out, as is the customary
practice, for example, the “Office of Financial Management (OFM).”
Do
not use inflation. State the expenditure impact in current dollar values for the entire period
covered by the fiscal note. Do not use an inflation factor to increase expenditures in future years. If
there are valid workload changes in future years, these costs are appropriate to include.
K
eep working papers handy. We advise agencies to maintain all agency worksheets and data used
to prepare fiscal notes for at least two years following the applicable legislative session.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 8 of 36 December 2020
COMPLETING FISCAL NOTES IN FNS
Introduction to FNS
The Legislature, state agencies and OFM use FNS to request, prepare, transmit, approve, distribute
and monitor the status of fiscal notes. You can prepare fiscal note content outside FNS and then
copy and paste the content into FNS. You must use FNS to transmit completed fiscal notes to
OFM. To facilitate the fiscal note process, FNS:
• Reorganizes information you provide in each screen and produces the fiscal note in the format
approved by the Legislature.
• Automatically ties the fiscal note to a specific request. There is no need to confirm or type in
bill numbers, bill titles, staff contacts or your agencies name.
• Provides one-click access to a request and bill or draft language.
• Allows attachments.
• Offers fiscal note request management (monitoring).
• Allows the bookmarking of a fiscal note for quick access.
• Allows copy/paste from an external source.
Required fiscal note information
To facilitate the legislative decision-making process for bills with a potential fiscal impact, each fiscal
note must include the following information, organized as a set of tabs in FNS:
• Agency Info – Name of agency preparer, name of agency approver.
• Summary – Includes a narrative of the fiscal impact.
• Cash Receipts – Estimated cash receipts table or indeterminate cash receipts checkbox.
• FTEs – Estimated FTEs table.
• Operating – Checkbox for indeterminate expenditures or estimated expenditures by fund,
expenditures by object and expenditures by program tables.
• Capital – Estimated capital costs table, if relevant to the fiscal note.
• 10-Yr Analysis – If applicable.
Include narrative text
You should include explanatory text (narrative) whenever possible to provide context for the fiscal
analysis and estimates that you include in the note. Enter the narrative in the text boxes on the
Summary, Cash Receipts, Expenditures, Capital and New Rules tabs.
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ou can attach supplemental information that FNS cannot accommodate using FNS’s attachment
feature (e.g. - charts or tables). Keep in mind these attachments will appear to the reader as
additional pages in the fiscal note document itself and it may not be obvious to the reader that they
are attachments.
I
f the narrative requires rich-text formatting to make it easier to read and understand, attach the
narrative in lieu of entering it into FNS. You may choose to attach the narrative portions of the
fiscal note or attach the entire FN-2, everything but the first page of the fiscal note.
Legislative staff prefer that you attach the entire FN-2. The fiscal note document will include two
sets of tables, including expenditures by object, FTE, expenditures by program and capital budget
tables. One set of tables will display in the form, the other will be attached document. Legislative
staff also prefer that agencies include a “see attached” note in the system portion of the narrative.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 9 of 36 December 2020
Accessing FNS
Account name and password
You must have a valid login ID and password to access FNS. Contact your agency’s FNS security
officer to set up your login ID and password. FNS requires that you create a strong password.
Your password:
• Must be between five and 15 characters.
• Must contain at least one upper case and one lower case character.
• Must contain at least one number and one special character. The valid special character
choices are: !, ~, #, $ and %.
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ou will be required to change your password if it does not meet these criteria.
User roles
The FNS security officer also sets your user role within the system. Work with your security officer
to make sure your user role aligns with your fiscal note responsibilities. There are four standard user
roles:
• Read − View fiscal note information, documents and reports
• Author − Create and modify fiscal note information
• Approver − Approve fiscal notes
• Releaser − Release approved fiscal notes to OFM
Opening FNS
1. If your agency operates inside the state firewall, enter fns.ofm.wa.gov in the address bar. If your
agency operates outside the state firewall, enter fortress.wa.gov/ofm/fns in the address bar.
Bookmark or set the FNS login page as a favorite. Do not bookmark the Console page.
Turn off any pop-up blockers. This includes any third-party popup blocker, such as those
included in Google Chrome.
1
. At the login page, enter your Login ID and Password.
Figure 1: Login page
2. Select the Login button.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 10 of 36 December 2020
Figure 2: Agency fiscal note management icon
3. Select the Agency Fiscal Note Management icon to open FNS.
N
ote the resources linked on the login page, including the instructions and the Copy/Paste
Template. These resources are also available at the main Console page under the Help menu.
System maintenance and unplanned outages: FNS will be unavailable between 5 p.m. and
9 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month for scheduled maintenance. Notice of system
unavailability will appear on the login screen. If the system is unavailable for a lengthy
unplanned outage, OFM will contact agencies with directions on an alternative
submission method.
Getting started: the console page and creating a fiscal note
The Console page
The Console page is a combination home page and summary status page. The Console page
displays the bills for which there are fiscal note requests and high-level status information about
each request. The left side of the Console page includes selectable icons with tooltips that explain
the function of each one.
Wi
th these icons you can:
• Create a new version of an existing fiscal note.
• View the status of a fiscal note.
• View information about the request.
• View the fiscal note.
You can change how the Console page appears and how often it refreshes by selecting the
Preferences link in the top right.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 11 of 36 December 2020
Figure 3: FNS preferences
Creating a fiscal note
The Console page lists the requests assigned to your agency. The Console page displays each fiscal
note version directly below the request line.
1. To create a new fiscal note, select the Create a new Fiscal Note icon .
Figure 4: Create a new fiscal note
2. At the Create a New Version page, choose the option that fits your needs and select the OK
button to go to the Fiscal Note page.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 12 of 36 December 2020
Figure 5: Create a new version
3. The fiscal note is now ready for data entry or changes.
T
he first version of a fiscal note will be designated version 1. FNS will increment later versions
automatically. You can also enter your own agency’s tracking number. The system will display the
agency tracking number, a dash and the system-generated version number.
S
electing the tabs on the Fiscal Note page allows you to access the request information, the ability to
manage the fiscal note, and the screens for entering or importing data to create the note.
Figure 6: Fiscal note tabs
Different users can access and enter data in the separate tabs of the fiscal note simultaneously. There
is also a Jump To Fiscal Note list box that allows you to go to another fiscal note without returning
to the Console page. Select the desired fiscal note from the drop-down list to go directly to that
fiscal note.
In the upper right-hand corner of each page, you will find the View Fiscal Note icon . Select it
to view the actual fiscal note.
When you view a fiscal note then change data or text on any of the tabs, you will need
to close the view and then reopen by selecting the View Fiscal Note Icon to see the
changes.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 13 of 36 December 2020
Agency Info tab
The Agency Info tab is an administrative page for agency use. Use this tab to:
• Enter an agency Internal Number and Internal Description. This number and title are for
agency internal use only. Do not use special symbols when entering the Internal Description,
particularly the “&” symbol.
• Enter the name of the person assigned the responsibility for preparing and approving the fiscal
note. These fields are required.
• Add or view attachments.
• Release the fiscal note to OFM.
• Bookmark the fiscal note for use as the base to create a fiscal note for another bill and to attach
documents.
Figure 7: Agency Info tab
1. Select the name of the person in your agency assigned to the responsibility of preparing the
fiscal note from the Agency Prepared By drop-down list. Only those authorized to prepare a
fiscal note will be able to access this list.
2. Select the name of the person in your agency assigned to the responsibility of approving the
fiscal note from the Agency Approved By drop-down list. Only those authorized to approve a
fiscal note will be able to access this list.
Summary tab
Use the Summary tab to complete summary fiscal impact information and enter the summary
narrative for the fiscal note.
The “10 Yr Analysis” tab
will only display if OFM
requested a 10-Year
Analysis on the bill.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 14 of 36 December 2020
Figure 8: Summary Tab
You must check the appropriate boxes to complete the note. You may enter the narrative into
the system directly or include it as an attachment.
If you selected Indeterminate cash receipts impact or Indeterminate expenditure impact
on the Cash Receipts or Operating tabs respectively, you must select a fiscal impact on
this tab.
No fiscal impact. Choose this if the proposed legislation has no estimated fiscal impact. By checking
this box, you are not making a statement about the agency's ability to absorb any potential impact. If
the reason the bill has no fiscal impact is not obvious, briefly explain your agency’s assumptions.
F
iscal impact greater than ZERO, but less than $50,000 per fiscal year. Choose this if the
proposed legislation has an estimated fiscal impact of less than $50,000 each fiscal year of the
current or subsequent biennia. Complete these sections of the fiscal note form:
• Estimated cash receipts.
• FTEs.
• Estimated cash expenditures by fund.
• Capital or new rules, if applicable.
• Estimated cash receipts or estimated cash expenditures narrative.
• Estimated operating expenditures by object or by program.
F
iscal impact is $50,000 or greater per fiscal year. Choose this if the proposed legislation has a
fiscal impact of $50,000 or more each fiscal year of the current or subsequent biennia. Complete all
sections of the fiscal note form.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 15 of 36 December 2020
Capital budget impact. This check box has been removed from the summary tab. If the proposed
legislation has a capital budget impact, include a description of the impact and the cost estimates in
the capital section. Identify cost estimates for acquisition, construction and other for each fiscal
year indicated. The fiscal note will automatically reflect capital budget impact if you have done this
or indicated indeterminate capital budget expenditures. Do not include capital budget costs in the
operating
section, as this should include only operating budget costs.
R
equires new rule making. This check box has been removed from the summary tab. If your
agency needs to adopt new rules or amend existing rules to implement the proposed legislation,
complete the new rules section to identify the cost involved in developing or amending the rules,
the entities affected by the legislation and any other agencies that have authority over the same
subject matter. The fiscal note will automatically reflect that new rule making is required if you have
entered data in the new rules tab. If no new rule making is required, leave this field blank.
Revised. Select this check box if this is a revised version of a previously submitted fiscal note.
A
brief description of what the measure does that has fiscal impact. Briefly describe what the
legislation does, with an emphasis on the significant provisions of the bill that have a fiscal impact
on the agency. Describe how the provisions will affect agency operations. Include the section
numbers as a reference.
Sa
ve changes. Select this button at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the
Summary tab. If you select another tab before your changes are saved, an option to save your
changes or continue without saving will appear.
Cash Receipts tab
Use the Cash Receipts tab to enter the cash receipts components of the fiscal note.
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ou must either select the Indeterminate Cash Receipts Impact check box or enter the Estimated
Cash Receipts into FNS. If cash receipts are indeterminate, you must provide an explanation in the
narrative box or include it as an attachment.
The data entry portions of the Cash Receipts, FTEs, Operating, and Capital tabs offer
a spreadsheet look and feel. The sums in the total rows will recalculate automatically
with each new entry in the data columns. Select the Add Row button to generate more
rows.
See Other Fiscal Notes System Features for information on how to copy and paste
information from an external spreadsheet into FNS.
Select the Account Lookup button to open the OFM Fund Reference Manual website, which
provides a list of account codes and fund titles. Entering the account code in the Account # field
and selecting the Tab key will automatically enter the Account Title.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 16 of 36 December 2020
Figure 9: Cash receipts tab
Estimated cash receipts. In odd-numbered year sessions, use the first two columns to reflect the
impact in the ensuing biennium. The remaining columns should cover the two succeeding biennia.
In even-year sessions, use the first two columns to reflect the impact for the current biennium.
These rules apply regardless of the implementation date of the legislation.
Cas
h receipts impact. Briefly describe the assumptions and methods used in estimating the cash
receipts impact of the legislation, including section numbers and revenue sources as a reference.
Explain how the assumptions translate into cash receipts estimates.
• Where appropriate, distinguish between a one-time and ongoing revenue.
• If there is a substantial change in cash receipts between the first effective biennium of the
legislation and the second, explain the reason for the change. Examples of situations where
substantial differences may occur include a phase-in period or a temporary surcharge.
• Quantify data whenever possible to enhance understanding. For example, “5,000 new users
paying an average surcharge of $1 per month.”
• Include a discussion of any revenue-related impact as a result of I-601 (e.g., fee increase at a rate
greater than the fiscal growth factor).
• If the legislation increases or decreases revenues in any account and the difference between
revenue and cash receipts are $50,000 or more for the first biennium, indicate in the narrative
the revenue on a GAAP basis.
• Include revenue transfers among accounts. Treat transfers into an account as increased cash
receipts. Treat transfers from an account as decreased cash receipts. When the bill transfers
money from one state account to another state account, display both parts of the transfer.
• For transfers to local government, the state agency fiscal note should show only the transfer out
of the state account.
There are specific codes assigned for revenue transfers. Certain recurring transfers,
such as lottery and liquor sales, have unique revenue source codes. For a complete
listing of revenue source codes, please refer to the State Administrative and
Accounting Manual website (Chapter 75.80).
If the fund is new,
enter NEW in the
Account # field and
enter an
appropriate title.
Do not use commas
when entering
numbers in the cells.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 17 of 36 December 2020
Select Save Changes at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the Cash
Receipts tab, or select another tab and an option to save the changes or continue without saving will
appear.
FTEs tab
Use the FTEs tab to enter FTE staff estimates in the fiscal note. Enter FTE details and show the
breakdown of FTEs by classification and corresponding annual salary. Input options here include:
• Title column: Enter the job classification title (50-character limit).
• Salary column: Enter the annual salary for this job classification.
• Fiscal Year (FY) columns: Enter the number of FTEs per fiscal year estimated for that j
ob
c
lassification.
T
he printed fiscal note shows the biennial average for FTE staff.
T
he system ties FTE data entered here to operating expenditures only. Any FTEs related to the
capital budget should be included in the narrative on the Capital tab. Select the Lookup Job Class
button to access a database of job classes on the Washington State Human Resources webpage
.
Figure 10: FTEs tab
Select Save Changes at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the FTEs tab,
or select another tab and an option to save the changes or continue without saving will appear.
Operating tab
Use the Operating tab to enter the expenditure components of the fiscal note. You must select the
indeterminate expenditure impact check box or enter the appropriate expenditure estimates into
the system. If the some or all of the expenditures are indeterminate, you must provide an
explanation in the narrative box or include it as an attachment. If you indicate indeterminate
expenditure impact and enter data into the expenditure estimates, the fiscal note will reflect that in
addition to the known costs entered, there are additional indeterminate costs explained in your
narrative.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 18 of 36 December 2020
Figure 11: Operating tab
Estimated operating budget expenditures. This section summarizes the estimated expenditure
impact by account. In odd-year sessions, use the first two columns to reflect the impact in the
ensuing biennium. The remaining columns should cover the two succeeding biennia. In even-year
sessions, use the first two columns to reflect the impact for the current biennium. These rules apply
regardless of the implementation date of the legislation.
A
gencies must also include expenditures from non-appropriated accounts. In that situation, please
indicate in the narrative that the fund is non-appropriated.
E
xpenditures by object. This section is for the object of expenditure information for the ensuing
biennium and two succeeding biennia, regardless of the implementation date of the legislation. This
rule applies in odd-year sessions. For even-year sessions, the first two columns are for the
expenditure impact in the current biennium. The total dollars shown in each fiscal year of this
section must agree with the fiscal year totals in the estimated operating budget expenditure section.
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stimated operating budget expenditures section. If the provided list of objects does not
accommodate a specific type of cost, you may use the blank row to enter a new object description.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 19 of 36 December 2020
Expenditures by program (optional). Complete the expenditure detail by program when it helps
describe how your agency would implement the bill. You can enter any program number and title
into the text box.
Describe expenditure impact. Briefly describe agency expenditures necessary to implement the
legislation, including section numbers as a reference. Describe the significant assumptions and
method used to arrive at the FTE and/or dollar estimates for each object of expenditure. Explain
how workload assumptions translate into cost estimates. The assumptions are very important to a
complete understanding of the fiscal note:
• Where appropriate, distinguish between one-time and ongoing costs.
• If there is a substantial change in expenditures between the first effective biennium of the
legislation and the second, explain the reason for the change. Examples, where substantial
differences may occur, include a phase-in period or when initial start-up costs are high.
• Quantify data, including cost savings, whenever possible to enhance understanding.
• Indicate if the legislation contains an appropriation or if funding is included in a budget bill.
• If your agency can absorb the workload and accompanying costs resulting from the legislation,
indicate this as an assumption and include an explanation of programs or activities that your
agency would displace. The expenditure detail portions of the fiscal note form should show
these costs.
Larger agencies have a standard approach to calculating both standard and indirect costs.
It is a good idea to develop these costs before the start of a legislative session to save
time, ensure consistency, and reduce the number of questions during session. Prior to
finalizing these costs, run them by your assigned OFM budget analyst and your legislative
analyst for review.
Select Save Changes at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the Operating
tab, or select another tab and an option to save the changes or continue without saving will appear.
Capital tab
Use the Capital tab to enter the capital components of the fiscal note.
De
tail any FTE costs in the narrative section. Enter an explanation in the narrative box or include it
as an attachment. Do not include capital budget costs in the Operating tab, as that section should
include only operating budget costs.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 20 of 36 December 2020
Figure 12: Capital tab
Enter the estimated capital expenditures and assumptions. If the legislation impacts the capital
budget, estimate the acquisition, construction and other capital costs for the six fiscal years as shown
and describe the impact. The narrative should provide at least the following information:
• Describe the project or capital purpose the estimated expenditure will support.
• Identify the anticipated capital budget funding source.
• Identify FTE costs.
• Identify the state agency expected to administer the capital budget appropriation.
• Identify the final user or recipient of the capital appropriation.
• Identify whether the capital budget costs are included in the most recent version of the
Governor's 10-year capital plan.
S
elect Save Changes at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the Capital tab,
or select another tab and an option to save the changes or continue without saving will appear.
New Rules tab
Use the New Rules tab to enter a description of the rule changes required by the legislation.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 21 of 36 December 2020
Figure 13: New Rules tab
Identify/explain provision(s) that require rule changes. Identify provisions of the bill that require
your agency to adopt new rules or to repeal or amend existing rules. Identify the cost involved in
developing or amending those rules, identify other entities that the legislation may affect, and
identify other agencies that have authority over the same subject matter.
S
elect Save Changes at the bottom of the screen to save the information entered on the New Rules
tab, or select another tab and an option to save the changes or continue without saving will appear.
10-Yr Analysis tab
RCW 43.135.031 (I-960) requires that OFM determine the 10-year cost to tax and fee payers of any
proposed legislation that would raise taxes, impose new fees or increase current fees. OFM must
communicate the most up-to-date, 10-year cost projection to members of the Legislature, the news
media and the public through email. OFM asks agencies to develop 10-year cost analyses, which
OFM then uses to formulate the 10-year cost projections.
OFM uses FNS to request a 10-year
analysis, usually in conjunction with a fiscal note request. FNS supports the request, the preparati
on
an
d the review of 10-year analyses.
I
dentifying the need for a 10-year analysis. OFM will review every bill and amendment
introduced during the legislative session. OFM will request a 10-year cost analysis and a fiscal note
on all bills or amended bills that would create or raise taxes or fees.
O
nly OFM staff can request 10-year analyses. Agencies cannot submit unsolicited 10-year analyses.
If you believe a bill contains a new or increased tax or fee, but OFM has not requested a 10-year
cost analysis, contact your OFM analyst before submitting the fiscal note and analysis.
R
efer to the OFM Implementation Criteria for Initiative 960
to learn more about how OFM
determines whether a bill contains a new or increased tax or fee.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 22 of 36 December 2020
Preparing the 10-year analysis. FNS will include a notation on bills that require a 10-year analysis.
OFM will also include special instructions for completing the analysis. The 10-year analysis takes
precedence over all fiscal note requests.
Y
ou will prepare the 10-year cost analysis on a separate tab in FNS. The format is similar to the table
in Part 1 of the fiscal note section but displays 10 years of cash receipt estimates. RCW 43.135.031
requires "a year-by-year breakdown” for each of the 10 years, which is more detail than required for
fiscal notes.
I
n some cases, the estimates for the first six years on the 10-year analysis tab will match those in Part
1 of the fiscal note. However, not all cash receipts generated by a bill are taxes or fees for the
purposes of RCW 43.135.031
. The 10-year analysis should only include cash receipts associated with
the tax or fee increase. For example, penalties and late charges are not fees under the law; therefore,
the cash receipts associated with penalties or late fees should not be included in the 10-year cost
analysis. If you are not sure whether cash receipts from a bill are a new or increased tax or fee,
contact your OFM analyst for clarification prior to preparing the 10-year analysis.
Figure 14: 10-Yr Analysis tab
For the purposes of RCW 43.135.031, each source of revenue is a separate fee or tax and should be
identified on a separate line. The revenue source is derived by who is paying the fee or tax and for
what purpose. Agencies can group paying entities together as a single revenue source if there is a
close subject matter or statutory connection among the entities paying the fee or tax, or the purpose
for which it is paid.
F
or example, if the bill authorizes fee increases for all health professional licenses, do not group all
these increases together. However, you can group all licenses of professions regulated by the same
board or commission under the same chapter of law.
A
s another example, the Gambling Commission would not group all gambling-related licenses
together as one fee but could group together (in a single fee) all licenses that relate to bingo activity.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 23 of 36 December 2020
A fiscal note does not distinguish between different fees if the account and revenue source code are
the same. In contrast, agencies should make this distinction on the 10-year analysis form, using a
descriptive title for the tax or fee based on the information in the bill. Note that the 10-year cost
analysis must include the tax or fee name and the account code where your agency will deposit the
revenue and cash receipts but does not require revenue source codes or associated titles.
No C
ash Receipts and Indeterminate Cash Receipts. When OFM has identified a bill as requiring
a 10-year analysis, all agencies required to prepare a fiscal note will also be required to submit a 10-
year cost analysis. While multiple agencies may have responsibilities under the bill, only one agency
might be responsible for collecting and administering the tax or fee contained in the bill. For
agencies with no cash receipts, select the check box to indicate No Cash Receipts. If it is not
obvious why your agency has no cash receipts resulting from the bill, provide an explanation.
If
you cannot estimate the total amount of revenue the state will receive from a proposed fee or tax
by applying reasonable assumptions, include rates or cost to the individual tax or fee payer in the
narrative portion. For example, if the bill provides a new fee for a new license and sets the fee, but
the agency cannot determine how many people will apply for the license, the narrative should
discuss the license cost in each of the 10 years and any other known factors or reasonable
assumptions.
Please make a concerted effort to estimate costs to fee or taxpayers before making a 10-year
analysis as indeterminate; there should be very few 10-year analyses that have
indeterminate costs.
For partially indeterminate cash receipts estimates:
1. Select the Partially Indeterminate Cash Receipts check box.
2. Include numbers in the grid for the part that can be determined.
3. Provide an explanation in the narrative for the piece that cannot be determined.
4. Clearly identify which costs you can estimate and which you cannot.
Al
l agencies requested to prepare a 10-year analysis must:
1. Fill in the table with fee and cash receipt information, or
2. Select the No Cash Receipts check box, or
3. Select the Indeterminate Cash Receipts check box.
Ag
encies may not submit fiscal notes without taking one of these actions within the 10-year analysis
tab of FNS.
Ta
x or fee title. OFM will use the title of the tax or fee from the 10-year cost analysis in the email
press release it sends to citizens requesting notifications under RCW 43.135.031
.
Do not
use account names as fee titles. They rarely describe the source of revenue. “License fee”
does not provide adequate information about what the fee is for, but “insurance provider and
broker license fee” does. Use a descriptive title.
Wi
th one exception, if a tax or fee is deposited into multiple accounts, use the exact same tax or fee
title for each account. While OFM wants to know where taxes and fees are deposited, the law does
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 24 of 36 December 2020
not require that accounts be identified and the revenue will be combined for purposes of the notice.
Using the exact same tax or fee title allows this combination to happen automatically.
Account #. All account codes must be three characters. Enter new accounts as “NEW” in the
Account # box. If there is more than one new account created, identify each account as N01, N02,
etc. At this time, the system will not allow users to enter anything other than an existing account
code or NEW, N01, N02, etc.
No
tes about entering tax and fee amounts. Some bills contain both increases and decreases. You
may not net fee increases and decreases against each other. Only increases should appear in the grid
but discuss decrease amounts in the comments section.
Yo
u can net taxes in certain circumstances:
• If the taxes being increased and decreased are deposited into the same fund or account and the
net effect is negative or zero, then RCW 43.135.031
does not apply since state law defines
“raises taxes” to mean actions by the Legislature that increase state revenue deposited in any
fund or account. If OFM requested a 10-year analysis, please contact us to discuss this before
you submit the fiscal note and 10-year analysis.
• If the taxes being increased and decreased are deposited into the same fund or account and the
net effect is positive, RCW 43.135.031
does apply. Show increases and decreases on separate
lines in the 10-year table, even if increases and decreases are for the same tax. Identify the
components separately within the tax titles when different components of the same tax are
increased and decreased. This will ensure the system does not combine increases and decreases
in the notice. This is also an exception to the rule of using the exact same tax title when revenue
is deposited into more than one account. Positive and negative changes to different
components of, for example, the B&O tax now must display separately.
• If the revenue from the tax being increased is deposited into a different fund or account than
the tax that is being decreased, RCW 43.135.031
only applies to that portion of the bill that
raises the tax. Show the increase in the table and provide information about the decrease in the
narrative.
Nar
rative explanation. A narrative explanation is required for all cash receipts estimates,
indeterminate estimates and no-cash-receipts estimates for the administering agency. It is not
required for no-cash-receipts estimates for non-administering agencies.
Fi
rst, provide an explanation of what the bill does that subjects it to RCW 43.135.031
and indicate
the section numbers that contain taxes or fees. Second, describe and quantify the cash receipts
impact of the legislation on your agency—including rates, assumptions and an explanation if the
cash receipts are indeterminate.
The
fiscal note narrative is a good starting point for this information, but may not be complete or
sufficient on its own. Explain any significant changes in revenue that occur beyond the 6-year scope
of the fiscal note. Remember, the fiscal note includes all revenue and some of the fiscal note
explanation may not be relevant to the 10-year analysis. Ensure that the narrative for the 10-year
analysis actually addresses the 10-year analysis revenue or cash receipts.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 25 of 36 December 2020
The 10-year analysis must show how much people are paying for the new tax or fee. Sometimes
refunds are available but do not subtract these from the gross estimate of the additional amounts
paid because of the new tax or fee. Refunds are a separate transaction and are outside the realm of
RCW 43.135.031
. Discuss refunds in the narrative.
Du
e date. By law, the 10-year analysis must take precedence over all other fiscal notes. OFM will set
a due date for each analysis. Agencies should give each 10-year cost analysis and its associated fiscal
note top priority, completing it before other fiscal note requests if possible. Except for the uniqu
e
requirements described in this section, please follow the same guidelines and instructions for regular
fiscal notes on the 10-year analyses required by RCW 43.135.031
.
If
you need help. Please contact Gaius Horton
at 360-819-3112 if you have questions about a
request for a 10-year analysis.
Viewing and releasing the fiscal note to OFM
1. Select the Agency Info tab.
Figure 15: Release to OFM
If you would like to view the completed fiscal note formatted as a PDF document prior to
release, select View Fiscal Note icon at the top right. FNS displays attached files
immediately following the fiscal note in the order attached. You can print the fiscal note
and any attachments by selecting the Print icon within the Adobe Acrobat toolbar (not
the browser toolbar).
2. Select the Release to OFM button on the bottom of the Agency Info tab to release a fiscal
note to OFM. Only those authorized to release a fiscal note will be able to access this button.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 26 of 36 December 2020
OTHER FISCAL NOTES SYSTEM FEATURES
Customizing the console view
3. At the Console page, choose the desired session from the Session drop-down list. The current
session is the default.
4. Choose from the Views drop-down list to tailor the list of request information.
Figure 16: Fiscal note views
Monitoring fiscal note status
There are two ways to view status information and monitor the progress of fiscal note requests.
U
se the Console page. The Console page is a combination home page and summary status page.
The console offers buttons to get you started on whatever tasks you are able to perform on the fiscal
note. It also offers a list of fiscal note requests assigned to your agency and some high-level status
information about the progress of fiscal notes related to that request.
U
se the Status screen. The Status screen provides detailed status information about the progress
of all fiscal notes (including those of other agencies) related to a particular fiscal note request. The
results returned on the search screen will also provide high-level status information and links to the
detailed status information.
To get to the Status screen, from the Console page select the View Status of Fiscal Note icon
located next to a specific bill. The status screen provides detailed status information on the fiscal
note request. Selecting a name in the agency or OFM analyst column will bring up an addressed
email form. Selecting a bill number will bring up the text of the bill.
Figure 17: View status of fiscal notes
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 27 of 36 December 2020
Send email to assigned agencies. Select the Send Email to Assigned Agencies icon when
agencies need to communicate information to all other assigned agencies. A page populated with the
assigned agencies will display. The user can send to all or select agencies. Note that this feature
appears on each tab. Assigned OFM budget analysts will also be included in the email
communication.
Viewing fiscal note request information
There are two ways to view fiscal note request information, depending on whether your agency has
created a version of the fiscal note.
1. Prior to creating a version, select the View Request Information icon on the Console
page to generate a request information report. This report shows all of the information about
the request for the fiscal note.
2. If a fiscal note version already exists, select the Modify Fiscal Note icon from the
Console page. Then select the Request tab to view the request information. Select the
legislative contact name to bring up an addressed email form to the legislative contact. Select an
agency number to bring up an addressed email form to that agency’s primary and secondary
fiscal note coordinators.
Figure 18: Fiscal note request information
Modifying a fiscal note
On the Console page, select the Modify Fiscal Note icon next to fiscal note versions that you have
not released to OFM. This will take you to the Fiscal Note screen where those authorized to do so
may modify the note. Once your agency has released a fiscal note to OFM, you can no longer
modify that version of the fiscal note. The icon will change to a View Fiscal Note icon. Selecting
this icon will bring up the fiscal note but will not allow modifications. Select the Create a new
version icon to create a new version of the fiscal note.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 28 of 36 December 2020
Figure 19: Modify fiscal note page
Revising a fiscal note
Once your agency has released the fiscal note to OFM, it can no longer be modified. If OFM asks
you to revise a fiscal note, or if you want to initiate a revised fiscal note, create a new version based
on a previous version. To help expedite the review of revised fiscal notes by OFM, it is helpful to
indicate the nature of the revision by including an explanation on the Summary tab.
1. Select the Create a new version icon to create a new version based on another version of a
fiscal note for the same bill.
2. At the Create a new version page, select Create a new version based on version…
Choose the version you want to use from the drop-down list.
3. Select OK. The user can now make the necessary changes.
Figure 20: Create a new fiscal note version
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 29 of 36 December 2020
Bookmarking a fiscal note
There are several instances where the bookmark function can be useful:
• Your agency receives a request to prepare a fiscal note on a companion bill, which is an
identical bill filed in the opposite house of the Legislature.
• Your agency receives a request to prepare a fiscal note on a bill that is similar to another bill
with an existing fiscal note, and the fiscal note is identical or similar with only minor changes
needed.
• Your agency wants to update a fiscal note from a previous session.
Figure 21: Bookmark a fiscal note
1. Select the Session that contains the fiscal note to bookmark.
2. On the Console page, select the fiscal note that you want to bookmark.
3. Select the Agency Info tab.
4. At the bottom of the screen, select Bookmark Fiscal Note.
5. Return to the console. Be sure you have selected the current Session year.
6. Select the Create a new version icon next to the appropriate bill number to create a new
version based on the fiscal note you just bookmarked.
7. On the Create a new version page, select Create a new version based on the bookmarked
fiscal note. This selection will show the bookmarked fiscal note in the parentheses following
the button label.
8. Select OK. The fiscal note is ready for changes.
Whe
n using a fiscal note from a previous session, be aware that the numeric data will copy into the
same cells and columns as on the original fiscal note. You may need to modify the data to
correspond to the new fiscal year headings.
You can bookmark only one fiscal note at a time. The last fiscal note bookmarked is the
one FNS uses when creating a version through the bookmark option.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 30 of 36 December 2020
Attaching documents
OFM accepts only PDF file attachments. If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat, both Microsoft Excel
and Microsoft Word include options for saving a file as a PDF. For both programs, there is a Save
as Type [PDF] option when you Save As. We recommend that you contact your information
technology support staff if you need further assistance with creating PDF files.
Figure 22 Attaching documents
1. On the Console page, select the Modify Fiscal Note icon.
2. Select the Agency Info tab.
3. Enter a description of the attachment in the Description text box.
4. When you select the Browse… button, the Choose File to Upload will open to facilitate the file
selection.
5. Locate the file and select Open. The system will return you to the Agency Info tab and the file
name will appear in the box next to the Browse… button.
6. Select Add Document to attach the document to the request. FNS will display the document
information in the document table.
Select the View Attachment icon to view the document.
To delete an attachment from a fiscal note, select the respective icon. Attachments appear after
the fiscal note in the order you attached them. If you include attachments, make sure that you
reference them clearly in the fiscal note narrative and that you label or title the attachments in a way
that will aid the reader.
Copying information from other source documents
You can transfer text to the text boxes in FNS using copy-and-paste, section by section. However,
the Cash Receipts, FTEs, Operating and Capital tabs each have a Paste From Spreadsheet feature
to facilitate pasting data from an external spreadsheet.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 31 of 36 December 2020
Many agencies use spreadsheets to develop the financial estimates included in a fiscal note. The
available Microsoft Excel spreadsheet template provides an easy way for agencies to transfer
information developed in other spreadsheets into FNS. By populating this template, agencies can
transfer all the financial table information required in a fiscal note into the system with just one
copy-paste action.
The
fiscal note copy-paste Microsoft Excel template is available from the FNS Help menu.
1. Select Help from the FNS menu at the top of the page.
2. Choose the Agency Fiscal Note Copy/Paste Excel Template from the menu.
3. After selecting to Open the spreadsheet in the pop-up, Microsoft Excel will start with the
template available.
4. Use this template, according to the guidelines below, to complete your data entry.
5. When you are ready to import the spreadsheet data into FNS, select Ctrl+A or the Select All
button in Microsoft Excel. This will select the entire spreadsheet.
6. Select Ctrl+C or right-click Copy to place the spreadsheet into your Clipboard.
7. Return to FNS and select Paste From Spreadsheet.
a. You may need to Allow Access to your computer’s Clipboard.
8. Select OK to paste and save from the pop-up window, or select Cancel if you wish to abort the
import.
If
the copy-paste was successful, FNS will return you to the selected tab and you will be able to see
the data you just pasted. If you received a message about a data or format error in the pasted
information, you will need to correct the spreadsheet and try the import again.
The copy-paste will not accept blank rows. You must delete all rows in the Cash Receipts,
FTEs, and Operating portion that do not contain data.
Template guidelines. The template has a very simple format. There are several sections, one for
each of the possible financial data tables in the fiscal note.
Figure 23: Template guidelines
The "GovLevel" for state
agencies will always be "S".
This tells FNS to use the state
fiscal note format.
A red triangle in the corner of a cell
indicates there is a note regarding the
formatting or purpose of the cell. Hold
your cursor over the triangle to read the
note.
These words indicate the
beginning or end of a section. If
changed, the copy-paste
feature will not work.
Enter your fiscal note data in the row under
the header row. Add as many additional
rows as needed. No data should go into the
row indicating the End of a section.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 32 of 36 December 2020
Each section is set up as a table that includes the required data columns for that portion of the fiscal
note. Each section is bordered by cells labeled "Begin…” and "End…" The system will read these
tags to determine the beginning and end of the data for each section. If you change these cells or
the column headers in any way, the copy-paste import will not work.
Initiating an unsolicited fiscal note request
To ensure fiscal notes are relevant and to keep the fiscal note workload manageable, please refrain
from creating unsolicited, “no impact” fiscal notes. Agencies should also limit the release of
unsolicited fiscal notes to those bills with significant fiscal impact scheduled for a hearing. If you
believe your agency should prepare a fiscal note on a requested bill, your request must be approved
by OFM Budget Operations.
To
develop unsolicited fiscal notes during the legislative session, agencies must first initiate a request
for a fiscal note. This will alleviate system problems and timing issues and will result in more timely
delivery of fiscal notes to hearings.
1. Starting on the Console page, select Email OFM for an Unsolicited Fiscal Note Request.
Figure 24: Unsolicited fiscal note request
2. After reading the message in the pop-up window, select OK.
3. Enter the bill or draft number and select Find Bills. This will bring up a list of available bills.
Figure 25: Find bills
4. Select the applicable bill by the check box to the left of the bill number.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 33 of 36 December 2020
5. A window will appear alerting you that an email for your Unsolicited Fiscal Note has been
sent to OFM.
6. Select OK. This will return you to the Console page.
Af
ter receiving and reviewing the email, OFM will assign the request to all affected agencies.
Outside of the legislative session, there may be times when your agency wants to create unsolicited
fiscal notes without having to submit a request to OFM. For example, agencies are required to
prepare a fiscal note to include with agency-request legislation packages.
Ap
proximately 30 days after the end of a legislative session, Email OFM for an Unsolicited Fiscal
Note Request will change to Create Unsolicited Fiscal Note Request.
1. From the Console page, select Create Unsolicited Fiscal Note Request.
2. Enter the bill number or draft number and select List Bills to display a list of valid versions of
the bill identified.
3. Choose the version of the bill you want to prepare a fiscal note on and select Modify Fiscal
Note. This takes you to the Fiscal Note screen where you can prepare the fiscal note.
4. If the bill version or draft is not listed, select Bill Not Listed.
5. Enter the appropriate information and select OK. This should take you to the Fiscal Note
screen where you can then prepare the fiscal note.
If
you are preparing an unsolicited fiscal note on a proposed substitute bill, use the bill number
rather than the bill draft number. Attach the bill language when you release the fiscal note to OFM.
Viewing distributed fiscal notes
Once OFM distributes a fiscal note, FNS users can view the entire package through the agency
Console page.
1. From the Console page, select the View Status of Fiscal Note icon for the distributed bill. The
next page displays the status of the fiscal note request.
2. Select View Fiscal Note to view a distributed fiscal note package.
Figure 26: View fiscal
note
The package consists of a roll-up page labeled Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary followed by
the Individual Agency Fiscal Notes, including the local government fiscal note and/or judicial
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 34 of 36 December 2020
impact note, if applicable. The screen also allows the user to print the package. Be sure to use the
print icon in the Adobe Acrobat toolbar.
You
can also view distributed fiscal notes on the OFM fiscal notes webpage
.
Using the search function
1. From the Console page, select Search located beneath the Fiscal Notes System header to go to
the Search page. The Search page enables the user to search fiscal note requests by bill
number, brief description, date, requester, committee, fiscal note type, prepared by or status.
2. Enter or select the desired parameters and select the Search button. The search will produce a
table of results. An icon next to each request will enable the user to navigate to the status and
fiscal note screens.
3. Select the column heading to sort the results by those column criteria.
The
Clear Criteria button clears the search settings. The list will indicate the companion bill of the
bill number requested if one exists.
Figure 27: The search f
unction
Deleting a version of a fiscal note
Only certain system users have the ability to delete agency versions of a fiscal note. If you need to
delete a version, check with your agency’s security officer to see if you have system permissions to
do so. You may delete fiscal notes that your agency has not released to OFM.
4. On t
he Console page, click the Delete Fiscal Note icon to the left of the fiscal note
version you want to delete. There is no way to restore a fiscal note once you delete it.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 35 of 36 December 2020
Extracting data
FNS restricts access to export functionality and OFM does not provide support beyond the creation
of a tab-delimited file. To make effective use of FNS data, users need a high level of programming
and data relationship knowledge. The extracted data is limited to the user’s agency.
1. From the Console page, select Search to go to the Search page.
2. Enter or select the desired parameters and select Search to produce a table of results.
3. If you have access to the extract feature, the Extract Data button will appear on the search
results screen.
4. Select Extract Data and choose the extract that you want to perform.
5. Select the Generate Extract button and save the extract to a file.
6. Import the tab-delimited file into Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access and use as needed.
System password maintenance
At the Login page, select Change your Password. Enter your login ID, prior password and new
password, then select Save Password.
Agency Fiscal Note Instructions Page 36 of 36 December 2020
APPENDIX
Glossary
10-year analysis. An agency’s estimate of the cost to affected tax or fee payers of legislation that
would raise taxes, impose new fees or increase current fees. OFM uses the 10-year cost analysis to
carry out its responsibilities under RCW 43.135.031 (I-960).
Am
ended. Any change in a bill, resolution or memorial. A committee amendment is an amendment
proposed at a committee meeting. A floor amendment is an amendment proposed on the Senate or
House floor.
Bi
ll. A proposed change to current law presented to the Legislature for consideration (SB = Senate
Bill, HB = House Bill).
Dr
aft fiscal note. An unsigned fiscal note released by OFM before review by OFM staff. This
happens to enable legislative committees to review agency submittals before the hearing.
Dr
aft legislation. Code reviser drafts of a proposed law that may be introduced as a bill or
resolution. An H, S or Z, identifying where the draft originated, precedes the code reviser draft
number. H indicates house member or staff; S indicates senate member or staff; and Z indicates
other, usually a state agency, board or commission.
Fi
scal note. A reasonable estimate of the cost of a piece of legislation based on stated assumptions.
FTEs. Full-time employees.
GAAP
. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
In
itiative. The procedure by which citizens can propose laws by petition to the Legislature or the
electorate.
Lo
gin ID. Login identification.
Su
bstitute. Replaces the entire bill, resolution or memorial. (An S precedes SB or HB; 2S indicates
the second substitute.)
Un
solicited fiscal note. A fiscal note created by an agency and not requested by OFM.
