HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2195
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Passed Legislature
Title: An act relating to auditor's fees.
Brief Description: Modifying certain auditor's fees.
Sponsors: Representatives Lytton, Walkinshaw, Orwall, Chandler and Fagan.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Appropriations: 4/6/15, 4/7/15 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 6/24/15, 59-38.
Passed House: 6/29/15, 73-24.
Passed Senate: 6/29/15, 31-13.
Passed Legislature.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 27 members: Representatives Hunter, Chair; Ormsby, Vice Chair; Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; Parker, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Wilcox, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Carlyle, Cody, Dent, Dunshee, Haler, Hansen, Hudgins, S. Hunt, Jinkins, Kagi, Lytton, MacEwen, Magendanz, Pettigrew, Sawyer, Senn, Springer, Stokesbary, Sullivan, Tharinger, Walkinshaw and Fagan.
Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 5 members: Representatives Buys, Condotta, G. Hunt, Taylor and Van Werven.
Staff: Meghan Bunch (786-7119).
Background:
County auditors are the recording officers of counties for a variety of documents relating to real property, marriage licenses, other vital statistic documents, and other matters that are required by law to be filed and recorded in the county. Fees that must be collected by the county auditor for filing or recording various documents are established by statute.
Current statute sets a $2 surcharge that county auditors or recording officers must charge for recording instruments. This surcharge is deposited into the Washington State Heritage Center Account and managed by the Office of the Secretary of State.
Summary of Bill:
The surcharge collected by county auditors or recording officers for recording instruments is increased from $2 to $3.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) House Bill 2195 provides a permanent and stable solution for funding the Washington State Library. Revenues of an additional $2.9 million per biennium will be deposited into the Washington State Heritage Center Account. These funds are a method for addressing the State Library's shortfall of about $2.4 million. Without additional funding, this shortfall sparks reductions in federal matching funds, which also fund the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library. The lack of funding would also result in the closure of the Washington State Library's central location, which means public access to those collections would no longer be available. These collections play a critical role in open and transparent government and it is important to protect access to these materials.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Gloria Walling, Washington Council of the Blind; Greg Lane, Office of the Secretary of State; and Nancy Bickford, Washington Military Department.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.