HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HB 1039

Raising certain auditor=s fees                            Public Hrg: 1/21/97 

Brief Title

Reps. D. Schmidt/Scott                                        Staff Contact: Steve Lundin

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7127

BACKGROUND:

Among other responsibilities, county auditors are the recording officers for a variety of documents relating to real property, marriage licenses, other vital statistic documents, and other matters.

Statutes establish the fees that are charged to file or record various documents with the county auditor, to receive a copy of any of these documents, and to search for documents.

SUMMARY:

Fees for recording a general instrument relating to real property are increased from $5 to $7 for the first page and from $1 to $2 for each additional page.

The fee for searching records is increased from $8 to $10 per hour.

Fees for recording a miscellaneous document, for which no specific fees are established, are increased from $5 to $7 for the first page and from $1 to $2 for each additional page.

                           Continued

HB 1039 - Page 2 continued

                SUMMARY OF PROPOSED FEE CHANGES

Type of document or service	Current fee	Date established	Proposed fee
Record instruments on real property
First page	$5	1985	$7
Each additional page	$1	1951	$2
Search records	$8/hour	1985	$10/hour
Record miscellaneous records
First page	$5	1985	$7
Each additional page	$1	1959	$2

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.