HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2527

                      As Passed House:

                      February 12, 1998

Title:  An act relating to making technical corrections to the Revised Code of Washington.

Brief Description:  Making technical corrections to the Revised Code of Washington.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Law & Justice (H) (originally sponsored by Representatives McDonald, Constantine and Hickel; by request of Statute Law Committee).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Law & Justice:  1/27/98, 2/5/98 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/12/98, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Sheahan, Chairman; McDonald, Vice Chairman; Sterk, Vice Chairman; Costa, Ranking Minority Member; Constantine, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Carrell; Cody; Kenney; Lambert; Lantz; Mulliken; Robertson and Sherstad.

Staff:  Trudes Hutcheson (786-7384).

Background:  Each year the Statute Law Committee reviews the Revised Code of Washington and recommends legislation to make technical corrections in the code.  Confusion in the code may result from double amendments (when the Legislature passes two bills amending the same section without reference to each other).  Mistakes in the code may occur when words are inadvertently omitted in bill drafts and floor amendments.

In 1996, the Legislature passed a bill regarding insurance benefits to new born babies.  The bill placed certain requirements on carriers that provided coverage for maternity services.

Summary of Bill:  Technical corrections are made to various sections in the code.  The word "or" is changed to "of" to correct an error in the statute creating the crime of custodial interference in the first degree.

A cross-reference is corrected in the statute requiring lobbyists to register with the Public Disclosure Commission.  The particular subsection of the RCW was changed from subsection (4) to subsection (5).  A cross-reference is corrected in the domestic violence statute.

The statutes addressing the formula for determining the threshold unemployment level for the definition of "distressed counties" inadvertently used the term "employment" instead of "unemployment."  The term is corrected.  In addition, the expiration date of June 30, 2000, is included in the codified section, so that all session laws affecting the section are included in the expiration date.

The statute regarding insurance benefits to new born babies is amended to provide that certain requirements apply whether or not the covered person's benefits include maternity services.

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.