SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 6070

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                        JANUARY 26, 1994

Brief Description:  Managing certain public records.

SPONSORS: Senators Loveland, Winsley and M. Rasmussen; by request of Secretary of State

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6070 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, McCaslin, Oke, Owen and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates: January 18, 1994; January 26, 1994

BACKGROUND:

In order to ensure the proper management and safeguarding of public records, the Division of Archives and Records Management is established in the Office of the Secretary of State.  Funding for the Archives and Records Management Division may only come from fees charged to state agencies.  In addition to serving state agencies, the Archives and Records Management Division must provide a program on behalf of local government archives.  Because local governments make no contribution to the funding of the archival services they receive, it falls to state agencies to subsidize the Archives and Records Management Division's work for local governments.  The demand for local government archives and records management services has grown significantly over the past ten years.  The resources available to provide those services have not grown in proportion to the demand.  As a result, the Archives and Records Management Division has fallen behind in a number of its basic local government archives and records management functions including the development and maintenance of general records retention schedules, records storage media guidelines and the processing of local government archives for public research use.  Superior court filing fees currently range from $25 to $110.  The current tax warrant filing fee is $5.  A $20 surcharge would make costs for tax warrants comparable to other types of filings. 

SUMMARY:

A $20 surcharge is assessed on superior court filings of warrants for unpaid taxes.  These warrants are filed by the state of Washington, predominately by the Departments of Revenue, Employment Security, and Labor and Industries for unpaid taxes or liabilities.  The revenue so generated is transmitted to the State Treasurer who shall deposit it in the archives and records management account.  The tax warrant surcharge revenue is required to be spent by the Secretary of State on the provision of public archives and records management services to local government agencies by the Division of Archives and Records Management.  A committee shall be established by the Secretary of State to advise the state archivist on the local government archives and records management program.  The purposes to which the tax warrant surcharge revenue shall be allocated are specifically enumerated. 

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Technical amendments are made relating to how the surcharge is assessed and collected.  A statement of purpose is added to bring the filing fees for warrants up to a level comparable to other minor civil filings.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  requested January 11, 1994

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is an innovative solution to a problem caused by a budget cut for the State Archivist coupled with increased demand for services and an inequitable payment program.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Michael Sanders, Secretary of State's office; Sid McAlpin, Achives Division, Secretary of State's office; Debbie Wilke, Washington Association of County Officials