HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5370

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Government Operations

Title:  An act relating to the use of credit cards by local governments.

Brief Description:  Authorizing use of credit cards by local governments.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Hale, Winsley, Haugen and Wood).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  3/22/95, 3/24/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chopp; R. Fisher; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt; Sommers; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Local governments are authorized to provide charge cards for their officers and employees for the sole purpose of covering expenses incident to authorized travel.  Upon billing or no later than 10 days of the billing date, the officer or employee shall submit a fully itemized travel expense voucher.

Summary of Bill:  Any local government is authorized to contract for the issuance of credit cards.  The legislative body shall adopt a system for distributing the credit cards, authorizing and controlling the use of the credit card funds, establishing limits available on the credit cards, payment of bills, and other rules necessary to implement or administer the use of credit cards.  The credit card system is subject to examination by the State Auditor.

An officer or employee who uses a charge card for travel expenses shall submit a fully itemized travel voucher within 30 days, rather than 10 days, of the billing date.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill would bring local governments into the 20th Century and help streamline the procurement systems of local governments and would trim costs for smaller jurisdictions.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Hale, prime sponsor; Dan Speigle, Thurston County Auditor; Doug Cochran, Yakima County Auditor; and Jim Rowland, Washington Public Power Supply System.