HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5735

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Government Operations

Title:  An act relating to the payment of fees to the county by credit card.

Brief Description:  Paying county fees by credit cards.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators West, Winsley, McCaslin, Haugen, Deccio, Hochstatter, Palmer, Roach, Schow, Wood, Hale, Strannigan and Fraser).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  3/28/95, 3/29/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 6 members:  Representatives Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chopp; R. Fisher; Hargrove and Sommers.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  There is no provision for a county to accept payment of any fees that it collects by credit card.

Summary of Bill:  Counties may accept the payment of any fees by a credit or debit card that are imposed by the state and collected by the county or imposed by county ordinance or resolution.  Payment by credit or debit card may only be accepted if the financial institution guarantees that the county will not be charged for the service, or the person using the credit or debit card agrees to pay the cost imposed by the financial institution for use of the credit or debit card.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None

Testified:  None.