HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6718

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                           Finance

Title:  An act relating to archives and records management.

Brief Description:  Funding local government archives and records management.

Sponsors:  Senators Sutherland, McDonald, Finkbeiner, Winsley, Haugen and Hochstatter; by request of State Archivist.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Finance:  2/22/96, 2/26/96 [DPA].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives B. Thomas, Chairman; Boldt, Vice Chairman; Morris, Ranking Minority Member; Dickerson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hymes; Mason; Pennington and Schoesler.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 4 members:  Representatives Carrell, Vice Chairman; Mulliken; Sheldon and Van Luven.

Staff:  Cheri Keller (786-7093).

Background:  The Secretary of State, through the Division of Archives and Records Management, provides for the preservation and storage of the official records of state agencies and 1,200 local government entities through a system of central archives and five regional branches.  The division is funded through revolving fund charges assessed against state agencies based on the size of each agency (FTEs) and the volume of records generated.

In the 1993 biennial budget act, the Legislature directed the Secretary of State to assess archives charges against local governments to cover the cost of archive services.  In 1994, the Legislature imposed a $20 surcharge on the filing of unpaid tax warrants in superior court.  The revenue from this surcharge was intended to provide local governments with sufficient funds to pay the cost of local archive services.  However, the revenue produced by the surcharge was only 37 percent of the anticipated funds, creating a shortfall of approximately $200,000.

Summary of Amended Bill:  County auditors are directed to impose a $1 surcharge on each document filed with the auditor.  This surcharge is transmitted to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Archives and Records Management Account and may be used solely for local government archives and records services.

The surcharge on the filing of unpaid tax warrants is continued, with the proceeds dedicated to local government records services, including disaster recovery, essential records protection services, and records management training.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The automatic future adjustment to the $1 surcharge was removed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  The bill takes effect July 1, 1996.

Testimony For:  This bill addresses long-standing problems in lack of funding for county archives and records management.  It is crucial to the continuation of state archives and the protection of local records.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Joyce A. Denison, Lincoln County Clerk, Washington Association for County Officials for Clerks and Auditors; Ralph Munro, Secretary of State; and George Scott, State Archivist.