S-4646.2  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6284

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Drew, Haugen, Winsley, McCaslin and Roach)

Read first time 01/25/96.

Providing sales and use tax exemptions for public records.

    AN ACT Relating to sales and use tax exemptions for public records; adding a new section to chapter 82.08 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.12 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 82.08 RCW to read as follows:

    The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 shall not apply to the sale of public records by state and local agencies, as the terms are defined in RCW 42.17.020, that are copied under a request for the record for which no fee is charged other than a fee to reimburse the agency for its actual costs directly incident to the copying.  A request for a record includes a request for a document not available to the public but available to those persons who by law are allowed access to the document, such as requests for fire reports, law enforcement reports, taxpayer information, and academic transcripts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 82.12 RCW to read as follows:

    The provisions of this chapter shall not apply with respect to the use of public records sold by state and local agencies, as the terms are defined in RCW 42.17.020, that are obtained under a request for the record for which no fee is charged other than a fee to reimburse the agency for its actual costs directly incident to the copying.  A request for a record includes a request for a document not available to the public but available to those persons who by law are allowed access to the document, such as requests for fire reports, law enforcement reports, taxpayer information, and academic transcripts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect April 1, 1996.

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