SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   EHB 2141

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS,

                                MARCH 28, 1991

Brief Description:  Establishing a state oral history program.

SPONSORS:Representatives Prince, Jacobsen, Anderson and Winsley.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Roach, Vice Chairman; Madsen, Matson, and Sutherland. 

Staff:  Barbara Howard (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates:March 26, 1991; March 28, 1991

BACKGROUND:

The State Archivist, in the Office of the Secretary of State, conducts an oral history program to document the careers of former state officials, legislators and other citizens of interest.  The records of this program must be properly preserved and available for reference.

SUMMARY:

Responsibility for the state's oral history program is assigned to the Secretary of State, who contracts with independent oral historians and through the history departments of the state universities, to produce verbatim transcripts of oral history interviews.  The tapes and transcripts are indexed and made available for research and reference through the state archives.

An Oral History Advisory Committee is created, consisting of two members of the House designated by the Speaker, two members of the Senate designated by the President, the Chief Clerk of the House, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Secretary of State.  The committee has responsibility to select appropriate interview subjects, select transcripts and related materials for publication, and advise the Secretary of State on procedures for conduct of the program. 

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is a legislative project which will increase the number of oral histories we can capture in a timely fashion, and provide more flexibility in selection of persons or issues covered.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

This separates the program from professional staff and eliminates the focus on prominent citizens from fields other than politics.

TESTIFIED:  Ralph Munro, Secretary of State (pro); Timothy Frederick, oral historian (con); Lu Brighton, oral historian (con); Bev Hermanson, WFSE (with amendment)