HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  SB 5563

Title:  An act relating to county law library funding.

Brief Description:  Authorizing a filing fee surcharge for funding county law libraries.

Sponsors:  Senators Costa, Patterson and Roach.

                    Brief Summary of Bill

CAuthorizes an additional surcharge on civil filing fees in order to fund county law libraries.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Staff:  Bill Perry (786-7123).

Background:

Each county with a population of 8,000 or more is required to maintain a county law library.  The library is governed by a board of trustees.  Counties may join to form a regional law library.

State law provides that $12 of every new probate or civil filing fee collected in superior court and $6 of every civil filing fee in district court is to be used for the support of the county law library.  Upon approval of the library board of trustees and the county legislative authority, the $12 fee may be increased to $15.  The filing fee for a civil cause of action in superior court is $110, and in district court the filing fee is $31.  In addition, counties may impose an additional surcharge of $10 on each civil filing in district court and $15 in small claims court for the purpose of funding dispute resolution centers.

Summary of Bill:

Counties are authorized to impose an additional surcharge on civil filing fees for the purpose of additional funding for county law libraries.  Upon approval of the county law library board of trustees and the county legislative authority, a surcharge on civil filing fees may be imposed in an amount not to exceed $15 for superior court and $6 for district court.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

                 Office of Program Research