SB 5638

SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5638

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 Senate Committee On:
Judiciary, February 23, 2007

Brief Description: Revising the statute law committee's publication authority.

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kline, Chair; Tom, Vice Chair; Carrell, Murray and Weinstein.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senator Roach.

Background: The Statute Law Committee publishes the session laws on a yearly basis. The cost for printing the session laws is paid out of the statute law committee publications account but the revenue from sales goes to the state General Fund. The session laws constitute up to a $40,000 yearly expense from the publications account.

The Statute Law Committee also publishes the Washington State Register every two weeks. The cost of printing the State Register is $6,000, with the annual cost for printing being $150,000. Subscriptions have declined in recent years and approximately 240 customers now receive the print version of the State Register. One-third of these 240 subscriptions are provided at no cost to state officials and county law libraries. Subscription sales produce approximately $30,000 per year. The board of law library trustees of each county is required to keep and maintain a complete and current set of registers for use and inspection as required by law.

Legislation was passed in 1996 that encourages the Legislature and legislative agencies to plan for and implement processes for making legislative information available electronically.

Summary of Bill: Money received from the sale of session law sets is paid into the statute law committee publications account.

The Statute Law Committee may publish the Washington State Register exclusively by electronic means on the code reviser web site if it determines that public access to the Register will not be substantially diminished. If the State Register is published exclusively by electronic means, the electronic copy posted on the code reviser web site will be considered the official copy of the Washington State Register. If the State Register is published only by electronic means, the provision of on-site access to the electronic version of the State Register by the board of law library trustees of each county satisfies the requirement for public access as required by law.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The Code Reviser has been asked to modernize and improve efficiency of Code Reviser records and storage. This bill would allow the State Register to be published by electronic means. Unless a person is receiving the register by subscription, that person is already having to go to a library to look at a paper copy or an electronic one. The Code Reviser office is currently assessing what the response is to going electronic. The office is doing a survey. This bill will only authorize the register to be published electronically. With the money saved, the Code Reviser website can be improved and public education can be accomplished regarding what's on the website and how to use it. All the original filings are going to still be available and they are also saved on disc. The Code Reviser website has great accessibility with good search capabilities.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Rockefeller, prime sponsor; Kyle Thiessen, Statute Law Committee.