SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5528

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 23, 1993

Brief Description:  Altering court fees.

SPONSORS: Senator Quigley

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5528 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators A. Smith, Chairman; Quigley, Vice Chairman; Hargrove, McCaslin, Nelson, Niemi, and Spanel.

Staff:  Alan Caplan (786‑7465)

Hearing Dates: February 16, 1993; February 23, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Superior court clerks are authorized to collect fees for court services.  The amounts of certain fees have not been adjusted for inflation and, according to county officials, no longer cover the costs of providing the relevant services.  It therefore is recommended that such court fees be increased.

SUMMARY:

The following court fees are increased to the following amounts:

Motions to modify foreign dissolution--from $20 to $110;

Filing non-court document--from $2 to $20;

Issuance of garnishment--from $5 to $20 per garnishee;

Issuance of writ of attachment--from $5 to $20;

Filing will only--from $2 to $20;

Preparation of passport application--from $4 to federally authorized fee (currently $7);

Special clerk services--from $8 to $15 per hour;

Duplicating recordings of court proceedings--$10 per audio tape; $15 per video tape (currently no fee).

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Technical revisions are made to further the intent of the bill.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

These increases will allow superior courts to recover a larger portion of the costs of providing services.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Some people seeking modification of dissolutions will not be able to pay the increased fee.

TESTIFIED:  Debbie Wilkie, Washington Association of County Officials; Kay Anderson, Snohomish County Clerk; Michael Curtis