FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5182

                          C 193 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing county fiscal biennium budgets.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Winsley, Hale, Deccio and Palmer).

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Operations

Background:  The state of Washington adopts a two-year fiscal biennium budget.  Although almost all cities adopt a one-year fiscal budget, in 1985 they were authorized to adopt a two-year fiscal biennium budget.  Counties are authorized to adopt only a one-year fiscal budget.

Summary:  All counties are authorized to establish by ordinance a two-year fiscal biennium budget.  The ordinance must be enacted at least six months prior to the beginning of the fiscal biennium.  Counties that establish a fiscal biennium budget may revert to a fiscal year budget at the conclusion of a fiscal biennium.

The county auditor must prepare the two-year fiscal biennium budget that sets forth the complete financial program of the county for the ensuing fiscal biennium, showing the expenditure program and the sources of revenue by which it is to be financed.

Any increased property tax revenues must be detailed in the budget document and must be disclosed at an open public meeting.

Any county adopting a fiscal biennium budget must adopt an ordinance providing for a public hearing for a mid-biennial review and modification of the fiscal biennium budget.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    48 0

House     95 2 (House amended)

Senate    43 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 23, 1995