BILL REQ. #:  H-0858.3 

Read first time 01/24/11.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to collecting fees to accommodate electronic filing and disclosure of campaign finance reports; adding new sections to chapter 42.17 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 42.17A RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:
     All agencies required to report under RCW 42.17.190 must file all reports required by this chapter electronically over the internet as provided by the commission under RCW 42.17.369.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 42.17A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) All agencies required to report under RCW 42.17A.635 must file all reports required by this chapter electronically over the internet as provided by the commission under RCW 42.17A.055.
     (2) Beginning July 1, 2012, all lobbyists and lobbyists' employers required to file reports under RCW 42.17A.600, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.625, or 42.17A.630 must file all reports required by this chapter electronically over the internet as provided by the commission under RCW 42.17A.055.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Lobbyists and lobbyists' employers who are registered or required to report for calendar year 2011, or who subsequently register for any part of calendar year 2011, must pay an initial fee to the commission for the development and implementation of the electronic filing system under RCW 42.17.369 as follows:
     (a) Two hundred fifty dollars for each lobbyist whose total reportable accrued compensation for lobbying, whether from or on behalf of one or more lobbyists' employers, was ten thousand dollars or more for the previous calendar year, or is expected to be ten thousand dollars or more for the current calendar year;
     (b) Five hundred dollars for each lobbyist employer whose total reportable accrued expenses and payments for lobbying, including those through or on behalf of one or more lobbyists, was ten thousand dollars or more for the previous calendar year, or is expected to be ten thousand dollars or more for the current calendar year;
     (c) One hundred fifty dollars for every state agency that has more than fifty full-time equivalent employees; and
     (d) One hundred fifty dollars for every local government that employs a lobbyist.
     (2) Fees received under this section must be deposited into the public disclosure electronic filing account under section 6 of this act. The fees in this section shall be used to establish the software and hardware needed to establish an electronic filing system for lobbyists and lobbyist employers.
     (3) The commission shall adopt rules and procedures to implement this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 42.17A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning January 1, 2012, the following persons and individuals must pay an annual fee to the commission:
     (a) Every political committee must pay a fee of two hundred dollars to the commission each calendar year that it is required to report under RCW 42.17A.205, 42.17A.210, 42.17A.220, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.235, or 42.17A.250;
     (b) Every lobbyist and lobbyist employer must pay a fee of two hundred dollars to the commission each calendar year that it is required to report under RCW 42.17A.600, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.630, or 42.17A.640;
     (c) Every state agency that has fifty full-time equivalent employees must pay a fee of one hundred fifty dollars;
     (d) Every local government that employs a lobbyist must pay a fee of one hundred fifty dollars;
     (e) Every individual required to report under RCW 42.17A.700 must pay a fee of two hundred dollars to the commission for each calendar year he or she is required to report;
     (f) No person or individual must pay more than one fee in a calendar year under this section. Any person may appeal a fee to the commission.
     (2) Fees received under this section must be deposited into the public disclosure electronic filing account under section 7 of this act. The fees collected under this section must be used for data development costs and purchase and maintenance of computer hardware and software to maintain electronic filing of the reports required by this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 42.17A RCW to read as follows:
     The commission shall adopt rules and procedures to implement section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The public disclosure electronic filing account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from fees paid by lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and state agencies under section 3 of this act must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for costs incurred as a result of the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of:
     (a) Software or other applications to accommodate electronic filing of the reports required by this chapter; and
     (b) A database and query system compatible with current architecture, technology, and operating systems that result in readily available data to the public for review and analysis.
     (2) Only the executive director of the public disclosure commission or the executive director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 42.17A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The public disclosure electronic filing account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from fees paid by persons, lobbyists, and lobbyist employers under section 4 of this act must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for costs incurred as a result of the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of:
     (a) Computer hardware and software or other applications to accommodate electronic filing of the reports required by this chapter; and
     (b) A database and query system compatible with current architecture, technology, and operating systems that result in readily available data to the public for review and analysis.
     (2) Only the executive director of the public disclosure commission or the executive director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Sections 2, 4, 5, and 7 of this act take effect January 1, 2012.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   Sections 1, 3, and 6 of this act expire January 1, 2012.