SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 2887

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 2, 1992

Brief Description:  Raising appellate court filing fees.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representative Appelwick)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bluechel, Gaspard, Hayner, M. Kreidler, Newhouse, Niemi, Rinehart, L. Smith, West, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Martin Chaw (786‑7715)

Hearing Dates: March 2, 1992

BACKGROUND:

When a case is appealed to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals, the appellant is required to pay a fee.  Proceeds from these fees are deposited into the state's general fund.  The current docket fee for the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals is $125.  The current fee for filing a petition for review by the Court of Appeals is $100.

The state currently receives $221,000 in each fiscal year from these fees.

SUMMARY:

The docket fee and the fee for filing a petition for review are each doubled to $250 and $200, respectively. 

This increase is expected to raise $55,000 in the last three months of FY92, an additional $221,000 in FY93, and $442,000 in each subsequent biennium.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  available

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

TESTIMONY FOR:

An increase in fees is needed to raise general fund-state monies to help with judicial operations.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Marlin Appelwick (pro)