The secretary of state’s office shall own and operate the library-archives building. The secretary of state’s office is authorized to enter into a long-term land lease from the port of Olympia for a period of up to seventy-five years. To comply with the provisions of this section, this project is exempt from the provisions of RCW 43.82.010.

Finding—Intent—2019 c 448: “(1) The legislature finds that the current facilities housing the Washington state archives, Washington state library, Washington state corporations and charities office, and the state elections office is in need of modernization and update. This is due to these vital programs being housed in obsolete and crowded facilities that do not meet modern standards for the functions performed in each.

(2) It is the intent of the secretary of state and the legislature to preserve and protect the state’s vital records and collections, provide convenient service to the public, be excellent stewards of state funds, and house staff and collections in a state of the art, energy efficient building owned and operated by the office of the secretary of state. This will be accomplished by constructing a new building funded by a financing contract entered into by the secretary of state pursuant to chapter 39.94 RCW. The principal and interest requirements of the financing contract will be serviced by existing rents, existing fees, and a new fee on documents recorded at county recording offices.

(3) This building, to be known as the library-archives building, will replace the existing state archives, the existing leased library location, the existing leased elections office, and the corporations and charities building on Capitol Way in addition to consolidating other archival structures. The consolidation of facilities will create efficiency under RCW 43.82.010(6) and convenience for customers with the eventual goal of housing all functions of the various divisions of the office of the secretary of state.” [ 2019 c 448 § 1.]