SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESB 5065

              As Passed Senate, January 28, 1998

Title:  An act relating to business organizations.

Brief Description:  Regulating naming of businesses.

Sponsors:  Senators Roach, Haugen, Johnson and Winsley; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Law & Justice:  1/16/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/11/97, 42-0.

Passed Senate, 1/28/98, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Fairley, Goings, Haugen, Jacobsen, Long, Stevens and Zarelli.

Staff:  Harry Steinmetz (786-7421)

Background:  The registration of business names with the office of the Secretary of State prevents a new business from filing under the same or deceptively similar name as a business which is already registered and conducting business in Washington State.

Summary of Bill:  Application of the naming requirements of the Corporations Act, Nonprofit Act, Partnership Act, and Limited Liability Company Act is clarified by the standardization of the requirements found in each of the acts.  Previous changes made to the limited liability company statute are incorporated.  Limited liability partnerships are recognized and the reserved names of such entities are protected from use by other entities.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Merely standardizes the language used in the naming conventions of the laws dealing with business organizations.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ralph Munro, Secretary of State (pro); Karen Dick, Operations Manager, Secretary of State=s office (pro).