HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5038

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, King, Keiser, Franklin and Pridemore; by request of Statute Law Committee.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Judiciary: 3/18/09, 3/19/09 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

(As Amended by House)

Changes gender-specific terms to gender-neutral terms in several titles of the Revised Code of Washington.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Pedersen, Chair; Goodman, Vice Chair; Rodne, Ranking Minority Member; Flannigan, Kelley, Kirby, Ormsby, Roberts and Warnick.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Shea, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ross.

Background:

Since 1983 state law has required that all statutes be written in gender-neutral terms, unless a specification of gender is intended. In 2007 the Legislature passed Engrossed Senate Bill 5063, an act relating to removing gender references. The legislation changed gender-specific terms to gender-neutral terms in several chapters of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). The Legislature directed the Code Reviser, in consultation with the Statute Law Committee, to develop and implement a plan to correct gender-specific references in the entire RCW. The Code Reviser must make annual legislative recommendations to make the RCW completely gender-neutral by June 30, 2015.

Summary of Amended Bill:

Gender-specific terms and references are made gender-neutral in several titles of the RCW. For example, references to "man" or "men" are changed to "person" or "persons," "councilman" is changed to "councilmember," and "chairman" is changed to "chair."

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The language in many sections of the code is out of date. There are over 3,000 sections in the RCW that have gender-specific references. When the Legislature first asked the Code Reviser's Office to make changes to the statutes, it was determined that it would cost much less if the changes were done incrementally in such a way so as to not require the printing of extra volumes of the session laws. Making all the changes to the terms will take about six years.

(Opposed) None.