| Passed by the House February 23, 2009 Yeas 97 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 10, 2009 Yeas 45 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1270 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved April 24, 2009, 1:43 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 27, 2009 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/16/09. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Children's Services.
AN ACT Relating to permitting electronic signatures on applications for public assistance and for benefits administered by the health care authority; amending RCW 74.08.055; and adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 74.08.055 and 2003 c 53 s 366 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Each applicant for or recipient of public assistance shall
((make an)) complete and sign a physical application or, if available,
electronic application for assistance which shall contain or be
verified by a written declaration that it is ((made)) signed under the
penalties of perjury. The department may make electronic applications
available. The secretary, by rule and regulation, may require that any
other forms filled out by applicants or recipients of public assistance
shall contain or be verified by a written declaration that it is made
under the penalties of perjury and such declaration shall be in lieu of
any oath otherwise required, and each applicant shall be so informed at
the time of the signing. The application and signature verification
shall be in accordance with federal requirements for that program.
(2) Any applicant for or recipient of public assistance who
willfully makes and ((subscribes)) signs any application, statement
((or)), other paper, or electronic record which contains or is verified
by a written declaration that it is made under the penalties of perjury
and which he or she does not believe to be true and correct as to every
material matter is guilty of a class B felony punishable according to
chapter 9A.20 RCW.
(3) As used in this section:
(a) "Electronic record" means a record generated, communicated,
received, or stored by electronic means for use in an information
system or for transmission from one information system to another.
(b) "Electronic signature" means a signature in electronic form
attached to or logically associated with an electronic record
including, but not limited to, a digital signature. An electronic
signature is a paperless way to sign a document using an electronic
sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a
record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the
record.
(c) "Sign" includes signing by physical signature, if available, or
electronic signature. An application must contain a signature in
either physical or, if available, electronic form.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The administrator may require applications, enrollment forms,
and eligibility certification documents for benefits that are
administered by the authority under this chapter and chapters 70.47 and
70.47A RCW to be signed by the person submitting them. The
administrator may accept electronic signatures.
(2) For the purpose of this section, "electronic signature" means
a signature in electronic form attached to or logically associated with
an electronic record including, but not limited to, a digital
signature.