H-3169.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2596
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1994 Regular Session
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 01/19/94. Referred to Committee on State Government.
AN ACT Relating to state government; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. 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 chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate 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 statutes enacted on or after January 1, 1994.
(2) The information identified in subsection (1) of this section shall be made available to the public in one or more formats and by one or more means in order to provide 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) The electronic digital format of the information identified in subsection (1) of this section must be ASCII US text.
(4) Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.
(5) The state may not impose a fee or other charge as a condition of accessing the information identified in subsection (1) of this section.
(6) The electronic public access provided by this section is in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information.
--- END ---