HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No.  HB 2076

Updating state printing laws.

Brief Title                              Hearing Date: 2/26/99

Reps. McMorris and Dunshee                 Staff: Steve Lundin

Sponsor(s)                          State Government Committee

                                              Phone:  786-7127

BACKGROUND:

The Governor is required to appoint a state printer.

Printing and binding required by all state agencies must be done by the state printer, except for printing for the supreme court, court of appeals, and institutions of higher education, or the printing of bond certificates or bond offering disclosure statements, and educational publications of the historical societies.  However, state agencies may do their own printing if they have the equipment and may do printing for other state agencies if done as part of a course of study relative to the profession of the printer.   In addition, printing and binding needed by an institution or agency of the Department of Social and Health services not in Olympia may be done directly with a private company if the cost does not exceed $1000, as periodically adjusted for inflation. 

Institutions of higher education, in consultation with the state printer, may develop vendor selection procedures similar to those used by the state printer to contract for printing jobs.

Printing, binding, and other work done or supplies furnished by the state printing plant for various state agencies must be paid on an actual cost basis determined from a standard cost finding system that is maintained by the state printing plant.  In no event may charges exceed those published by the Porte Publishing Company=s Franklin Printing Catalogue for similar and comparable work.

The state printer may secure printing, ruling, binding, or supplies from private sources if the state printer determines that these may be secured from private sources more economically than by doing the work or preparing the supplies in the state printing plant.  If this printing or supplies is obtained from private sources, the state printing plant adds five percent to the bills that are charged to cover its handling costs, but not for contracts with state institutions of higher education.

The state printer must furnish all paper, stock, and binding materials required for public work, other than public work provided for institutions of higher education, and charge the actual cost plus five percent for waste, storage, insurance, and handling.

SUMMARY:

State agencies, other than the Legislature, are no longer required to obtain their printing and binding from the state printer.  Institutions of higher education and other state agencies may contract with the state printer or any private company for printing and binding work using vendor selection procedures that are similar to those the state printer develops for contracting out printing and binding work.

The requirement is deleted that supplies furnished by the state printing plant must be paid for on an actual cost basis.  The five percent mark up on paper and stock supplied to an agency by the state printer no longer applies.

Whenever state agencies opt to order printing, ruling, binding, or supplies from the state printer, the state printer may secure this work and materials from private sources.  The five percent handling charge on work and work that is contracted out does not apply to contracts made by a state agency on its own with a private printing company.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.