Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Local Government Committee |
HB 2416
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning equitable allocation of auditor costs.
Sponsors: Representative Takko.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/20/12
Staff: Ann Koepke (786-7291), Ethan Moreno (786-7386).
Background:
County auditors (or recording officers, in charter counties) collect fees for the provision of their official services. Examples of services for which county auditors collect a statutorily defined fee include, among others:
preparing and certifying copies;
administering an oath or taking an affidavit;
recording plats; and
searching records.
Current statute sets the fee for searching records at $8. per hour.
Summary of Bill:
House bill 2416 authorizes county auditors to establish the actual cost of searching records and conspicuously post this cost. If the auditor does not determine the actual per hour cost for searching records, the fee remains set at $8. as is currently defined in statute.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.