HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6070

                  As Passed House - Amended

                        March 4, 1994

Title:  An act relating to public records preservation, maintenance, and disposition by agencies of local government and the secretary of state.

Brief Description:  Managing certain public records.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Winsley and M. Rasmussen; by request of Secretary of State).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, February 24, 1994, DPA;

Appropriations, February 28, 1994, DPA(SG).

Passed House - Amended, March 4, 1994, 94-1.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Veloria, Vice Chair; Reams, Ranking Minority Member; L. Thomas, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Conway; Dyer; King and Pruitt.

Staff:  Bonnie Austin (786-7135).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on State Government.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives Sommers, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Ballasiotes; Basich; Cooke; Dellwo; Dorn; Dunshee; G. Fisher; Foreman; Jacobsen; Lemmon; Leonard; Linville; H. Myers; Peery; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Stevens; Talcott; Wang and Wolfe.

Staff:  Jennifer Priddy (786-7118).

Background:  The Division of Archives and Records Management was established in the Office of the Secretary of State to ensure the proper management and safeguarding of public records.  The State Archivist is responsible for the administration of the division.  The division is funded from fees charged to state agencies and deposited to the archives and records management account.

In addition to serving state agencies, the Archives and Records Management Division operates a local government archive program.  However, local governments are not charged for these services.  State agency fees subsidize the division's local government program.

According to the State Archivist, the demand for local government archives and records management services has grown significantly over the past 10 years, and the resources available to provide these services have not grown in proportion to the demand.  As a result, the Archives and Records Management Division has fallen behind in a number of its basic local government archives and records management functions, including the development and maintenance of general records retention schedules, records storage media guidelines, and the processing of local government archives for public research use. 

Superior court filing fees currently range from $2 to $110.  The current tax warrant filing fee is $5.

Summary of Bill:  A $20 surcharge is assessed on superior court filings of warrants for unpaid taxes or liabilities filed by the state departments of Revenue, Employment Security, and Labor and Industries.  The surcharge will be paid by the debtor.  The revenue from the surcharge will be transmitted to the State Treasurer who will deposit it in the archives and records management account.  The revenue may only be spent on the provision of public archives and records management services to local government agencies by the Division of Archives and Records Management.  The Secretary of State will establish a committee with local government representatives to advise the State Archivist on the local government archives and records management program.

Revenue:  A $20 surcharge on warrants for unpaid taxes or liabilities.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 10, 1994.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect July 1, 1994.

Testimony For:  (State Government) This is an innovative way to deal with funding cuts.  This brings these fees for processing warrants in line with other fees.  This process has been two years in the making.  Seventy-five percent of field operations will be shut down if this bill does not pass.  This bill is needed to avoid the problems eastern cities face with inadequate preservation of local records.

(Appropriations) With amendment from State Government Committee there will be no fiscal impact on state agencies implementing this bill.

Testimony Against:  (State Government) It will cost more for Employment Security to meet these requirements than the revenue generated because we will have to change our computer systems.

(Appropriations) None.

Witnesses:  (State Government) Senator Loveland, prime sponsor (pro); Ralph Munro, Secretary of State (pro); Graeme Sackrison, Employment Security (concerns); Kathy Countryman, Employment Security (concerns); Donna Karvia, Washington Association of County Officials (pro); Sid McAlpin, Office of Secretary of State (pro); and Mike Saunders, Office of Secretary of State (pro).

(Appropriations) Sid McAlpin, Office of Secretary of State (pro).