HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HB 2127

State Agencies/info electronically disseminated      Public Hrg: 3/4/97

Brief Title

Reps. Reams/Romero/Cairnes                                Staff Contact: B. Mauldin

Sponsor                                         Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7093

BACKGROUND:

Each state agency must publish and make available to the public for inspection and copying its substantive rules, organizational descriptions, interpretive and policy statements, and other specific information about the agency and its practices.  Each state agency must also make available all public records that are not explicitly exempted.  Agencies may not charge fees to the public for inspecting, locating, or making the documents available.  An agency may charge a fee for copying a record, or for making equipment available for members of the public to copy records.  The fee may not exceed the cost of copying.

Last year legislation was enacted requiring state agencies to plan for and implement processes for making information available electronically.  Agencies must prioritize what information will be made available based on what the public wants and needs most.

AState agency@ includes every state office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other state agency.

Summary:

Each state agency must make available to the public a paper copy of any information that the agency disseminates electronically, upon request.

FISCAL NOTE:   Not requested.

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