H-3971.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2596

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Finkbeiner, Orr, Johanson, Eide, Kessler, B. Thomas, Shin, Long, Caver, Bray, Pruitt, Moak, Springer, Cothern, J. Kohl, L. Johnson and Anderson)

Read first time 02/04/94.

Requiring computer network distribution of legislative materials.

    AN ACT Relating to state government; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that it should always work toward the goal of providing citizens free, open, and direct access to legislative information and should explore diverse methods for meeting that goal.  The legislature finds and declares that it is now possible and feasible in this electronic age to more widely distribute legislative information by way of electronic communication in order to better inform the public of the matters pending before the legislature and its proceedings.  The legislature further finds that it is desirable to make information regarding these matters and proceedings available to the citizens of this state, irrespective of where they reside, in a timely manner and for the least possible cost.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 44.04 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The joint legislative service center shall make all of the following information available to the public in electronic form:

    (a) The legislative calendar, the schedule of legislative committee hearings, a list of matters pending on the floors of both houses of the legislature, and a list of the committees of the legislature and their members;

    (b) The text of each bill introduced in each current legislative session, including each amended, enrolled, and session law form of each bill;

    (c) The legislative history of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session;

    (d) The bill status of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session;

    (e) All bill reports prepared by legislative committees in connection with each bill in each current legislative session;

    (f) All vote information concerning each bill in each current legislative session;

    (g) Any veto message concerning a bill in each current legislative session;

    (h) The Washington State Constitution; and

    (i) All session laws enacted on or after January 1, 1994.

    (2) The information identified in subsection (1) of this section shall be made available to the public by making it accessible through nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative public computer networks.  The information shall be made available in a format and by a means that provides the greatest feasible access to the general public in this state.  Any person who accesses the information may access all or any part of the information.  The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information.  The information that is maintained in the legislative information system that is operated and maintained by the legislature shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after the information is available in the information system.  The information that is not maintained in the information system shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after it is available to the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate.

    (3) Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.

    (4) The state may not impose a fee or other charge as a condition of accessing the information identified in subsection (1) of this section.

    (5) The electronic public access provided by this section is in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The joint legislative systems committee shall ensure the prompt implementation of section 2 of this act by the joint legislative service center and shall report on the status of such implementation to the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and appropriate legislative committees by October 1, 1994.

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