SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 577

BYRepresentatives Hankins, H. Sommers, Miller, Barnes, Gallagher, Brooks, S. Wilson, Madsen, Jesernig, May, Grant, Walk, Patrick, Vekich, Taylor, Sprenkle and Winsley

Requiring certain state publications to be distributed through the state publications distribution center.

House Committe on State Government

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 25, 1987

Senate Staff:Barbara Howard (786-7410); Eugene Green (786-7405)

AS OF MARCH 19, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Many state agencies are required by statute to send certain of their publications directly to all state legislators.  Such reporting requirements have resulted in a considerable volume of agency publications in legislators' mail.

A companion measure (EHB 25) was recommended by the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) to reduce the volume of agency publications by modifying or eliminating more than one hundred statutory reporting requirements.  LBC members also expressed concern about the absence of controls on the distribution process for agency reports.

SUMMARY:

The State Publications Center in the State Library is designated as the sole distributor of those state publications which must be made available by law to state legislators.  The State Library regularly sends each legislator a listing of available publications.  State agencies may distribute publications directly to a legislator at his or her request.

The process does not apply to legislative publications distributed internally.

Fiscal Note:    available

Effective Date:The process takes effect on January 1, 1988.