FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 6154

                          C 202 L 00

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing county clerks to accept credit cards.

Sponsors:  Senators Costa, McCaslin, Patterson and Gardner.

Senate Committee on State & Local Government

House Committee on Local Government

Background:  The office of county clerk is an elected office provided for in the Washington State Constitution as is a duty of the county clerk to be the clerk of the superior court.

County treasurers are authorized by statute to accept credit cards and similar noncurrency forms of payment for any kind of payment due the county.  The payer must bear the cost of processing the transaction in an amount determined by the treasurer.  In no event may that cost exceed the additional costs so incurred by the county.  The county legislative authority may waive the transaction cost when waiver would be in the best interests of the county.

Summary:  County clerks are authorized to accept payment by credit card and similar noncurrency forms of payment of all fees and moneys collected by the clerk that are due the court for various filings and for services performed by the clerk=s office incident to matters on file as well as other charges required by specified statutes.  Also included in this authorization are payments of court-ordered fines, restitution and other moneys owed by criminal defendants.  The payer must bear the cost of processing the transaction.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 451

House935(House amended)

Senate 441(Senate concurred)

Effective:June 8, 2000