Agency: 085 - Office of the Secretary of State

The State Library serves people who are marginalized by their inability to use print materials, providing service to people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, physically disabled, or who have a reading disability; and to residents of the state hospitals and the state’s major prisons. The Washington Talking Book & Braille (WTBBL) Library provides information and materials statewide in alternative formats, including large print, braille, and audio. WTBBL is committed to supporting Washingtonians unable to read standard print so they may continue to have access to current information, educational and pleasure reading materials, technology training, and readers’ advisory. Institutional Library Services provides library materials and services in the state psychiatric hospitals and adult correctional institutions, supporting patients and inmates in their recovery and re entry efforts by maintaining current and relevant resources. ILS branch libraries support and enhance basic adult and college education and other institution programs.

The State Library provides leadership, training and coordinated statewide initiatives to all libraries in the state, strengthening their capacity to serve their communities using federal funds received under the Library Services and Technology Act. The Washington State Library is the only entity in the state eligible to receive these funds. The State Library uses LSTA funding to: support group purchases and provide subsidies saving Washington libraries, and indirectly Washington residents, millions of dollars, provide statewide training initiatives to improve library staff skills, offer grant cycles that allow local libraries to develop and support library services to citizens, and coordinate statewide initiatives in areas such as early childhood learning, strengthening school libraries, and digitization of local historical materials. Because Washington does not provide General Fund-State funds for public libraries, the federal funds are critical to them.

This program helps crime victims (specifically victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking) keep their addresses out of state and local government records so perpetrators cannot use public records to locate their victims and continue the abuse. The program provides participants with a substitute address that can be legally used as residence, work, and/or school addresses. It also provides confidentiality in voter registration and marriage licenses, two areas that are normally public records.

The primary mission of the state Archives is to preserve and make accessible the legal and historical records of the executive, legislative, and judicial branch agencies of state and local government. Collecting and making these records available, promotes transparency and accountability for government to its citizens. To make these records available and ensure citizen access, the Archives maintains a Web site and public research facilities throughout the State (Bellevue, Bellingham, Ellensburg, Cheney, and Olympia). Technical assistance is provided to state and local government agencies to ensure the preservation of records. (Other Funds: Archives and Records Management Account-State, Local Government Archive Account-State}

This activity registers entities that solicit funds from Washington State residents and entities holding income producing assets in the name of charity This activity also administers the Charitable Organization Education Program to educate charitable organizations, their board members, and the general public about administration, fiduciary responsibility, ethics, and other best practices. Charitable registration is used to provide information to the public about charities and their paid fundraisers and permits supervision of the administration of charitable trusts which helps to prevent deceptive and dishonest practices. This information promotes education and awareness for targeted or vulnerable citizens such as the elderly, and exposes the improper use of contributions intended for charitable purposes. (Other Funds: Secretary of State Revolving Account-Nonappropriated)

This activity registers entities conducting business in the state of Washington, which include domestic and foreign (out-of-state) limited liability companies, corporations, and limited partnerships. The activity also provides the public with in-state trademark registration and authenticates notarized or public documents for international use. (Other Funds: Secretary of State Revolving Fund Nonappropriated)

This activity provides primary and general election cost reimbursements to county election offices in odd numbered election years and for the presidential primary, and provides for prepaid ballot return postage for all elections.

This activity provides the agency with management and policy direction not directly attributed to any program or service. Functions include public information, legislative affairs, policy and planning, development (seeking private donations), international relations, human resources, financial services, contracting and purchasing, facility and records management, and technology support. (Other Funds: Archives and Records Management Account-State, Secretary of State Revolving Account-Nonappropriated, Local Government Archives Account-State, Imaging Account-Nonappropriated, Election Account-Federal)

Archives provides imaging services on a cost-recovery basis to state and local agencies to ensure the high quality reproduction of essential records and documents of legal or historical significance. To promote government transparency and accountability, the Archives offers a local records grant program that provides funds for scanning and indexing records. After scanning, the records are made available on the Archives Web site. Services include imaging (filming, scanning, and digital conversion); quality review and inspection, and the creation of microfilm for the long term preservation of records. Technical assistance is provided to state and local governments to ensure the proper microfilm/imaging standards are met. (Other Funds: Imaging Account-Nonappropriated, Archives and Records Management Account-State, Local Government Archive Account-State)

The Washington State Library has a unique mandate to collect, preserve and make accessible materials on Washington’s government, history and culture. Collections include: the only comprehensive collection of Washington state agency publications in the world; the only comprehensive collection of federal government publications in the state; a statewide collection of Washington newspapers from 1852 to the present; and a significant collection of rare books and manuscripts from our state’s history. The State Library is committed to making its rare collections available to students, teachers and researchers in digital format.

The Legacy Project publishes oral histories and biographies on former U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, Governors, influential newsmakers, and people who've influenced the political history of the State of Washington.

The Archives provides services and technical assistance to state and local government agencies for the efficient and accountable management of public records. Services include a central state records center that achieves significant cost savings and the authorization to destroy, and/or transfer to the Archives, public records. Also provided is technical assistance and training to better equip state and local governments to manage the public records in its care. (Other Funds: Archives and Records Management Account-State, Local Government Archive Account-State)

This activity facilitates federally mandated voter registration processes, administers the constitutional right to initiative and referendum, ensures state compliance with the constitutional requirement that voters receive a voters' pamphlet for each applicable election, conducts statutorily required training and certification programs for state and local election officials, ensures secure elections pursuant to the Help America Vote Act by enhancing election technology and making election security improvements, certifies voting equipment as required by state law, maintains a publically accessible statewide elections and voter information system, and provides county support for that system.

This activity provides the agency with central oversight and coordination of technology, including the agency's information technology plan, server maintenance, hardware/software maintenance and programming, and web service development. (Archives & Records Management-State, Secretary of State Revolving Non-Appropriated, Dept of Personnel-State, Local Government Archives-State, Imaging Account Non-appropriated, Election Account-Federal)

This activity coordinates, in conjunction with the Library Council of Washington (LCW), statewide projects and initiatives using Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds. It administers the LSTA grant, in compliance with LSTA's parent institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This includes monitoring the requirements to retain federal funds. (General Fund-Federal, General Fund-Private/Local)

Under an activity established during the 2003-05 Biennium to meet the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), the Office of the Secretary of State must build and maintain a coordinated, centralized, and uniform state voter registration database with connectivity to the 39 county election offices, Department of Licensing, and Department of Corrections. This database provides a new tool to ensure that elections are less susceptible to fraudulent voter registration and improve service to the state's voters. It provides real time connectivity between county offices and the state to ensure that a voter is only registered at one location at a time. Further, it provides a tool to confirm the legitimacy of each new voter registration by cross checking the data with licensing information, social security number information, and a list of those with no right to vote (such as convicted felons). (Election Account-Federal)

The Productivity Board improves the quality, service, and efficiency of Washington State through the implementation of cost effective employee suggestions and process improvements. The Board encourages state employees to create, innovate, and apply their good ideas for the betterment of state government.