[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to local government records; amending RCW 36.22.175; repealing 1996 c 245 s 2 (uncodified); providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 36.22.175 and 1996 c 245 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In addition to any other charge authorized by law, the county auditor shall charge a surcharge of one dollar per instrument for each document recorded. Revenue generated through this surcharge shall be transmitted monthly to the state treasurer for deposit in the archives and records management account. These funds shall be used solely for providing records scheduling, security microfilm inspection and storage, archival preservation, cataloging, and indexing for local government records and digital data and access to those records and data through the regional branch archives of the division of archives and records management. ((~~This section shall expire June 30, 2001.~~))

The division of archives and records management within the office of the secretary of state shall provide records management training for local governments and shall establish a competitive grant program to solicit and prioritize project proposals from local governments for potential funding to be paid for by funds from the auditor surcharge and tax warrant surcharge revenues. Application for specific projects may be made by local government agencies only. The state archivist in consultation with the advisory committee established under RCW 40.14.027 shall adopt rules governing project eligibility, evaluation, awarding of grants, and other criteria including requirements for records management training for grant recipients.

(2) The advisory committee established under RCW 40.14.027 shall review grant proposals and establish a prioritized list of projects to be considered for funding by January 1st of each even-numbered year, beginning in 2002. The evaluation of proposals and development of the prioritized list must be developed through open public meetings. Funding for projects shall be granted according to the ranking of each application on the prioritized list and projects will be funded only to the extent that funds are available. A grant award may have an effective date other than the date the project is placed on the prioritized list.

(3) In addition to any other surcharge authorized by law, the county auditor shall charge a surcharge of one dollar per instrument for every document recorded after January 1, 2002. Revenue generated through this surcharge shall be transmitted to the state treasurer monthly for deposit in the archives and records management account to be used exclusively for the construction and improvement of a specialized regional facility located in eastern Washington designed to serve the archives, records management, and digital data management needs of local government.

To the extent the facilities are used for the storage and retrieval of state agency records and digital data, that portion of the construction of such facilities used for state government records and data shall be supported by other charges and fees paid by state agencies and shall not be supported by the surcharge authorized in this subsection.

At such time that all debt service from construction on such facility has been paid, fifty percent of the surcharge authorized by this subsection shall be reverted to the centennial document preservation and modernization account as prescribed in RCW 36.22.170 and fifty percent of the surcharge authorized by this section shall be reverted to the state treasurer for deposit in the archives and records management account to serve the archives, records management, and digital data management needs of local government.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. 1996 c 245 s 2 (uncodified) is repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect June 30, 2001.