SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6245

As of January 29, 2002

Title:  An act relating to appointments to the academic achievement and accountability commission made beginning June 30, 2002.

Brief Description:  Changing procedures for appointments to the academic achievement and accountability commission.

Sponsors:  Senators McAuliffe and Carlson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  1/28/02.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786‑7422)

Background:  Under current law, the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission has nine members:  the Superintendent of Public Instruction and eight members appointed by the Governor.  Four of the eight members must be selected by the Governor from lists of names submitted by each of the major caucuses in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement that each caucus submit a list of names from which the Governor must choose four members of the commission is removed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  With this change, the process for the appointment of the members of the Commission will be the more standardized process of appointment where the Governor appoints and the Senate confirms.  A recent vacancy made it apparent that the current process made it difficult for the Governor to maintain a broad geographic and constituency representation on the board when he was confined to choosing from a list.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (prime sponsor); Karen Davis (WEA).