HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2565

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Government Operations

Title:  An act relating to the acceptance of faxed documents for filing with the secretary of state.

Brief Description:  Filing faxed documents.

Sponsors:  Representatives Hickel, Costa and Chappell.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  1/23/96 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Cairnes, Vice Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Conway; R. Fisher; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt and Wolfe.

Staff:  Scott White (786-7153).

Background:  The Secretary of State is required to record various official documents, including all articles of incorporation, deeds, or other papers filed in his or her office.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Provisions are established relating to the acceptance of electronically transmitted documents for filing with the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State is required to accept and file, in his or her office, electronic transmissions of many types of documents.  The filing is effective as of the date of receipt by electronic transmission.

If the original document must be signed and a copy of the document is filed by electronic transmission, then the original signed copy must be subsequently filed with the secretary by a deadline established by the secretary by rule.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill expands the scope of the original bill to include all electronically transmitted documents instead of just electronic facsimile transmissions (faxes).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Allowing documents to be filed electronically will create efficiencies for all parties involved.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Hickel, prime sponsor.