There is included a method and apparatus comprising computer code configured to cause a processor or processors to perform parsing at least one video parameter set comprising at least one syntax element indicating whether at least one layer in the scalable bitstream is one of a dependent layer of the scalable bitstream and an independent layer of the scalable bitstream, decoding a picture in the dependent layer by parsing and interpreting an inter-layer reference picture list, and decoding a picture in an independent layer without parsing and interpreting the inter-layer reference picture list.