H-1287              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2105

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Fraser, Belcher and Haugen

Read first time 2/22/89 and referred to Committee on Local Government.

AN ACT Relating to improving county systems for document maintenance; and adding new sections to chapter 36.18 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 36.18 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Each county legislative authority is authorized to provide for the installation and thereafter for the maintenance of an improved system for historical preservation, copying, safekeeping, indexing, and making available for the public when permitted, the documents submitted, recorded, or already in the custody of county officers, as enumerated under RCW 36.16.030.

          (2) The county legislative authority may impose a surcharge on public transactions designated by the legislative authority and conducted by county officers.  The surcharge may be placed on documents submitted for processing or recording, whether or not a fee is otherwise collected for other purposes and under other authority.  The county legislative authority may establish the fee schedule, except that the surcharge on a single document may not exceed three dollars.

          (3) All revenue generated through this surcharge shall be transmitted monthly to the county treasurer who shall place the funds received in a special account for appropriation by the county legislative authority for the purpose authorized in subsection (1) of this section.  The county treasurer may be reimbursed from this fund, by authority of the county legislature, for the actual costs of collecting, administering, and disbursing the funds but the reimbursement shall not exceed five percent of the funds collected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.18 RCW to read as follows:

          Each transaction fee chargeable by any county officer may be subject to the surcharge under section 1 of this act.