H-4102              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2926

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives P. King, Pruitt, Crane and Wood

Read first time 1/26/90 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to civil actions; amending RCW 12.40.020 and 10.14.150; adding a new section to chapter 7.75 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 12.40 RCW; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 7.75 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A county legislative authority may impose a surcharge of up to ten dollars on each filing fee in the small claims department of the district court for the purpose of funding dispute resolution centers established under this chapter.

          (2) Any surcharge imposed shall be collected by the clerk of the court and remitted to the county treasurer for deposit in a separate account to be used solely for dispute resolution centers established under this chapter.  Money received under this section is not subject to RCW 3.62.020(2) or 3.62.090.

        Sec. 2.  Section 2, chapter 187, Laws of 1919 as amended by section 58, chapter 258, Laws of 1984 and RCW 12.40.020 are each amended to read as follows:

          A small claims action shall be commenced by the plaintiff filing a claim, in the form prescribed by RCW 12.40.050, in the small claims department.  A filing fee of ten dollars plus any surcharge authorized by section 1 of this act shall be paid when the claim is filed.

        Sec. 3.  Section 15, chapter 280, Laws of 1987 and RCW 10.14.150 are each amended to read as follows:

          The ((superior)) district courts shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of any civil actions and proceedings brought under this chapter.  The court may refer any civil action brought under this chapter to a dispute resolution center established under chapter 7.75 RCW.  The municipal and district courts shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of any criminal actions brought under RCW 10.14.120 and 10.14.170.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 12.40 RCW to read as follows:

          The court may refer any action from the small claims department to a dispute resolution center established under chapter 7.75 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     This act shall take effect July 1, 1990.