HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1466

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to voter registration subsidies for small counties.

Brief Description:  Eliminating the voter registration subsidy.

Sponsors:  Representatives Silver, Sommers and Huff; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  2/27/95, 3/1/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives Silver, Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Huff, Vice Chairman; Pelesky, Vice Chairman; Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Valle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Beeksma; Brumsickle; Carlson; Chappell; Cooke; Crouse; G. Fisher; Foreman; Hargrove; Hickel; Jacobsen; Lambert; Poulsen; Reams; Rust; Sehlin; Talcott; Thibaudeau and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Lisk; McMorris and Sheahan.

Staff:  Dan Chang (786-7191).

Background:   Counties with fewer than 10,000 registered voters receive a subsidy each June to compensate their cost of maintaining electronic voter registration data.  Changes in personal computer technology since the inception of the law in 1974 have significantly reduced the cost of data management.

The subsidy is currently distributed by the Office of the Secretary of State and amounts to 30 cents for each registered voter in the county at the time of the most recent state general election.  The total amount of the subsidy is approximately $18,000 per year.  The following counties have presently applied for the subsidies; Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Klickitat, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

Summary of Bill:  This bill eliminates the voter registration subsidy received by small counties to maintain their voter registration records.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The law has effectively served its purpose.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Don Whiting, Secretary of State's Office.