HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1248

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to filing of business and nonprofit documents with the secretary of state.

Brief Description:  Allowing facsimile filings with the secretary of state's office.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by  Representatives Sump, Costa, Sheahan, Sterk, Sherstad, Skinner, Lantz, Lambert, D. Schmidt, D. Sommers, Backlund, Ogden, Wensman and Constantine; by request of Secretary of State).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Government Administration:  1/28/97, 1/29/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/19/97, 98‑0;

Passed House:  1/16/98, 94-0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Chairman; D. Sommers, Vice Chairman; Scott, Ranking Minority Member; Gardner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Doumit; Dunn; Dunshee; Murray; Reams; Smith; L. Thomas; Wensman and Wolfe.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:   Partnerships, corporations and nonprofits doing business in Washington must file various documents in the secretary of state's office. 

The secretary of state currently accepts facsimile transmissions of several types of election related documents, including declarations and affidavits of candidacy, county canvass reports, and candidates' pamphlet statements.

Summary of Bill:  The secretary of state must accept and file facsimile transmissions of any documents required from businesses, including partnerships, for-profit corporations, and nonprofit corporations.  Documents submitted via facsimile transmission must satisfy legal requirements for form and content, including legibility, in order to be accepted.  If a document must be signed by a specified party, the signature on the facsimile transmission satisfies that requirement.  The secretary of state may reject a document if a fee required in conjunction with the document is not received before or at the time of receipt of the document.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This will streamline and expedite the filing process for businesses, nonprofits, and the secretary of state.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Sump, prime sponsor; and Ralph Munroe and Karen Dick, Office of the Secretary of State.