HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1006
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
As Reported by House Committee On:
State Government & Tribal Affairs
Title: An act relating to a feasibility study for electronic filing of disclosure reports.
Brief Description: Studying electronic filing of disclosure reports.
Sponsors: Representatives Moeller and B. Sullivan.
Brief History:
State Government & Tribal Affairs: 1/24/07, 1/26/07 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Hunt, Chair; Appleton, Vice Chair; Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; Armstrong, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Green, Kretz, McDermott, Miloscia and Ormsby.
Staff: Marsha Reilly (786-7135).
Background:
In 1972, Initiative 276 was approved by the voters of Washington. The Public Disclosure
Act (PDA) requires that political campaigns, and lobbying contributions and expenditures, be
fully disclosed to the public, as well as the financial affairs of elected officials and
candidates.
Among other provisions, Initiative 276 required candidates and continuing political
committees to file statements of organization and make periodic reports of contributions and
expenditures, required public officials to file financial statements, and required persons
lobbying the Legislature or state agencies to register and make periodic reports of their
expenditures. The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) was created to receive these filings
and reports and enforce these provisions.
In 1999, electronic filing was made available to candidates, public officials, and political
committees for filing financial affairs reports, contribution reports, and expenditure reports.
By 2002, filing electronically was mandatory. Electronic filing was made available to
lobbyists and their employers for submitting their reports in 2002, although it is not
mandatory.
Summary of Bill:
The PDC, in consultation with the Department of Information Services, must contract for a
feasibility study to determine the cost of designing, developing, implementing, and
maintaining software to accommodate electronic filing by lobbyists and lobbyists employers,
and a database and query system that results in data that is readily available to the public.
The study may also include other elements that promote public access to information about
lobbying activity.
The study must be provided to the Legislature by January 2008.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) Washington has the best disclosure program in the nation. This bill will allow
for a searchable database for lobbyists and lobbyist employers that is accessible to the public.
Currently, one must go through each individual report to get lobbyist information. The
Public Disclosure Commission supports the bill. In Fiscal Year 2006, one third of lobbyists
and 13 percent of lobbyist employers filed electronically. The current system is incompatible
with current operations and there is no searchable database. Electronic filing is used because
full disclosure keeps lobbyists honest and keeps the public well informed. The current
system is not usable by large lobbyists. A feasibility study is the most reliable way to get a
cost estimate.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Moeller, prime sonsor; Steve Gano and Vicki Rippie, Public Disclosure Commission.