05-20-115

WSR 05-20-115

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

SECRETARY OF STATE

[ Filed October 5, 2005, 11:19 a.m. ]

     Subject of Possible Rule Making: Washington state digital archives; collecting and managing records at the digital archives.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 40.14.020.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: These rules will:

?	Define terms related to acquiring and archiving public records in electronic formats;
?	Describe required procedures and protocols related to acquiring, transferring and archiving public records in electronic formats at the Washington state digital archives;
?	Describe agency duties and responsibilities with respect to digital archives and records;
?	Address document authentication, chain of custody, and use of encryption for records at the digital archives.

     Process for Developing New Rule: Negotiated rule making; and initial proposed rule language will be developed by the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS). OSOS will create a stakeholder group of known interested parties. OSOS will take commit [comments] from other interested parties before and after publication in the register. Finally, public comment will be taken at public hearings prior to final adoption.

     Process for Developing New Rule:

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Shane Hamlin, P.O. Box 40220, Olympia, WA 98504-0220, phone [phone], fax [phone], e-mail [e-mail].

October 5, 2005

Steve Excell

Assistant Secretary of State