HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5313

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to surcharges for recording documents.

Brief Description:  Deleting the expiration date for a portion of the surcharge on recording documents.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Winsley, Oke, Haugen, Sheldon, Owen, Quigley and Erwin).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 23, 1993, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Bray, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; R. Fisher; Rayburn; Romero; Springer; Van Luven; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Legislation was enacted in 1989 imposing a $2 per document surcharge on the cost of filing any document with the county auditor.

One-half of this surcharge is retained by the county and deposited in the auditor's operation and maintenance fund to be used for the ongoing preservation of historical documents held by the auditor.

The other one-half of this surcharge is transmitted to the state treasurer who distributes these receipts monthly to counties under the following formula:  (1) One-half of these moneys are distributed equally among each of the 39 counties; and (2) the other one-half is distributed to counties in direct proportion to their populations.  The moneys are placed into a special account titled the auditor's centennial document preservation and modernization account and used for document preservation equipment and the preservation of historical documents in the possession of the county auditor.

On January 1, 1995, the portion of the existing surcharge that is transmitted to the state treasurer expires and the surcharge is reduced to $1.

Summary of Bill:  The $2 surcharge on filing documents with the county auditor, and the program where one-half of the surcharge is transmitted to the state treasurer for distribution to counties for the preservation of historical documents, are made permanent.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This has been a very successful program.  Smaller counties receive most of their money for document preservation from the state distribution.  We should protect our historical heritage.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Liz Luce, Clark County Auditor; and Sam Reed, Thurston County Auditor.