HB 1926-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

     Provides that the division of archives and records management within the office of the secretary of state shall provide records management training for local governments and shall establish a competitive grant program to solicit and prioritize project proposals from local governments for potential funding to be paid for by funds from the auditor surcharge and tax warrant surcharge revenues.  Application for specific projects may be made by local government agencies only.  The state archivist in consultation with the advisory committee established under RCW 40.14.027 shall adopt rules governing project eligibility, evaluation, awarding of grants, and other criteria including requirements for records management training for grant recipients.

     Directs the advisory committee established under RCW 40.14.027 to review grant proposals and establish a prioritized list of projects to be considered for funding by January 1st of each even-numbered year beginning in 2002.  The evaluation of proposals and development of the prioritized list must be developed through open public meetings.

     Provides that, in addition to the existing surcharge authorized by law, the county auditor shall charge a surcharge of one dollar per instrument for every document recorded after January 1, 2002.  Revenue generated through this surcharge shall be transmitted to the state treasurer monthly for deposit in the archives and records management account to be used exclusively for the construction and improvement of a specialized regional facility located in eastern Washington designed to serve the archives, records management, and digital data management needs of local government.

     Requires that, to the extent the facilities are used for the storage and retrieval of state agency records and digital data, that portion of the construction of such facilities used for state government records and data shall be supported by other charges and fees paid by state agencies and shall not be supported by the surcharge authorized in this act.

     Provides that, at such time that all debt service from construction on such facility has been paid, fifty percent of the surcharge authorized by this act shall be reverted to the centennial document preservation and modernization account as prescribed in RCW 36.22.170 and fifty percent of the surcharge authorized by this act shall be reverted to the state treasurer for deposit in the archives and records management account to serve the archives, records management, and digital data management needs of local government.

     Repeals 1996 c 245 s 2 (uncodified).