FINAL BILL REPORT

                           SSB 5313

                           C 37 L 93

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Deleting the expiration date for a portion of the surcharge on recording documents.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Winsley, Oke, Haugen, Sheldon, Owen, Quigley and Erwin)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

BACKGROUND:

One of many initiatives undertaken as part of the state centennial celebration was a program adopted in 1989 to assist county auditors in restoring and preserving historic documents.  Many of these records are unique, and some are deteriorating rapidly.

To support the costs of the program, a special surcharge of $2 is required for recording each document.  Half of the proceeds from the surcharge remains with the county, and the other half is transmitted to a special account in the state treasury.  Distribution from the special account is as follows: half is shared equally among the 39 counties; the other half is apportioned by county population.

The portion of the surcharge which is redistributed by the State Treasurer is scheduled to expire on January 1, 1995, and the surcharge will be reduced to $1.  It has been suggested that these funds are still needed by the counties for restoration and preservation of historic records.

SUMMARY:

The expiration date for the dollar surcharge to be distributed by the State Treasurer, and the reduction of the surcharge to $1 are deleted.  The proceeds from the surcharges must be used for ongoing preservation of historical documents of all county offices and departments.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    40   6

House     98   0

EFFECTIVE:July 25, 1993