The Washington Office of Secretary of State’s Digital Archives, in a partnership with Microsoft Research, is making available over 30,000 cassette tapes of committee hearings of the State House of Representatives for 1973-2001.  This partnership allows for an innovative way to search through the audio recordings of these hearings.  Approximately 6,000 hours of hearings are currently searchable.  Over the next two years, the House will add approximately 10,000 more hours.  The search engine allows you to search testimony given during a hearing.  You can narrow your search by selecting specific committees and by selecting a date range.  To access these tapes, go to Washington State Digital Archives detalied search screen.  In the drop down box titled Record Series, select Audio Recordings.  A search on the word audit brings up about 40 entries from various committees. 

 This tool can be an important adjunct to your state legislative history research.