HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1161

BYHouse Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Ferguson, Cooper, May, Horn, Betrozoff, Haugen and Miller)

Preserving documents recorded with the county auditors.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Republican Member; Horn, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Phillips, Raiter, Rayburn, Todd, Wolfe, Wood and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 8, 1989

BACKGROUND:

County auditors are the repositories of many public records and other documents.  Fees are charged for the filing of most documents with county auditors.

SUMMARY:

County auditors are authorized to install and maintain improved systems to copy, preserve, and index recorded documents, including photomicrographics and computerized digital storage.

A surcharge of two dollars per instrument recorded with a county auditor is imposed.  One dollar of this surcharge expires on January 1, 1995.

Fifty percent of the surcharge receipts is retained by the county and deposited in the auditor's operation and maintenance fund for preserving historical documents.  The other fifty percent is transmitted to the state treasurer monthly.  After deducting administrative costs of not to exceed one percent, the state treasurer distributes these moneys back to the counties as follows: (1) half of the moneys are distributed equally among the counties; and (2) the balance is distributed to counties in direct proportion to their populations.  The moneys received by a county from the state treasurer must be placed into a new account entitled the auditor's centennial document preservation and modernization account to be used exclusively for the preservation of historical documents.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jane Hauge, King County Auditor's Office; Paul Deutsch, Snohomish County Auditor's Office; Shirley Forslof, Whatcom County Auditor's Office; and Sid McAlpin, Division of Archives, Secretary of State's Office.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Burt Talcott, Washington Association of Realtors.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Many old documents are in horrible condition.  Some are beyond saving.  These documents are our history.  The surcharge is earmarked to preserve documents.  The larger counties are willing to assist in financing the preservation of documents in smaller counties.  Some industries, such as the real estate industry, receive a great bargain by having free access to these documents.  These new systems will ease access to these documents and actually lower costs for certain industries.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      The $2 charge will increase the cost of housing.