SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 6459

BYSenate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Patrick, DeJarnatt, Nelson and Rasmussen)

Establishing a state recording officer.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 29, 1990; January 31, 1990

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6459 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, Patrick, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Barbara Howard(786-7410)

                  February 14, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 13, 1990

BACKGROUND:

One of the major functions of the county auditor's office is to serve as the official recorder of documents, including land transfers, plats, and liens.  The County Auditors' Association has suggested that some means should be available for modernizing and standardizing local records systems.

SUMMARY:

The Secretary of State, through the Division of Archives and Records Management, is designated the State Recording Officer.  An Advisory Committee on Recording Systems is established.  Its membership includes the State Recording Officer, as chair; the State Archivist or a designee; a designee of the Attorney General; four county auditors or county recording officers and a representative of a title company.  The county representative are appointed by the Washington State Association of County Auditors to represent the following groups of counties:  Class AA, Class A through first class, second through fifth class, and sixth through ninth class.

The Advisory Committee recommends to the State Recording Officer policies and methods for standardizing and improving recording systems, as well as pertinent administrative rules, and suggestions for needed legislation.  As a preliminary study, the committee (1) evaluates recommendations of the Board of Commissioners for Uniform State Laws and existing law on recording systems; (2) investigates the feasibility of standardizing forms and procedures for recording documents; (3) considers consolidating or linking general indexes of participating counties for the purposes of sharing information; and (4) makes recommendations to the Legislature for any needed legislation no later than January 1, 1992.

The State Recording Officer, in addition to serving as chairperson for the Advisory Committee, must: adopt administrative rules governing the maintenance of and access to recorded documents; develop and distribute guidelines for the efficient and uniform operation of recording systems; monitor developments in available technology; exchange information among county recording officers on pertinent procedures; and review and approve procedural changes proposed by the county recording officers for conformance with the rules and guidelines.  In implementing the program, the Secretary of State consults with the Director of the Department of Information Services.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 29, 1990

Senate Committee - Testified: Don Whiting, Assistant Secretary of State (pro); Karen Flynn, Kitsap County Auditor (pro); Jane Hague, Records Manager, King County (pro); Sam Reed, Thurston County Auditor (pro); Sue Burkley, Thurston County Records Manager (pro); John Woodring, Washington Land Title Assn (pro)