BILL REQ. #:  S-4321.2 

Read first time 01/28/10.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to voters' pamphlets; and amending RCW 29A.32.220.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.32.220 and 2003 c 111 s 814 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Not later than ninety days before the publication and distribution of a local voters' pamphlet by a county, the county auditor shall notify each city, town, or special taxing district located wholly within that county that a pamphlet will be produced.
     (2) ((If)) A voters' pamphlet ((is)) shall be published by the county for a primary, special, or general election((,)). The pamphlet shall be published for the elective offices and ballot measures of the county and for the elective offices and ballot measures of each unit of local government located entirely within the county which will appear on the ballot at that primary, special, or general election. However, the offices and measures of a first-class or code city shall not be included in the pamphlet if the city publishes and distributes its own voters' pamphlet for the primary, special, or general election for its offices and measures. The offices and measures of any other town or city are not required to appear in the county's pamphlet if the town or city is obligated by ordinance or charter to publish and distribute a voters' pamphlet for the primary, special, or general election for its offices and measures and it does so.
     ((If the required appearance in a county's voters' pamphlet of the offices or measures of a unit of local government would create undue financial hardship for the unit of government, the legislative authority of the unit may petition the legislative authority of the county to waive this requirement. The legislative authority of the county may provide such a waiver if it does so not later than sixty days before the publication of the pamphlet and it finds that the requirement would create such hardship.))
     (3) If a city, town, or district is located within more than one county, the respective county auditors may enter into an interlocal agreement to permit the distribution of each county's local voters' pamphlet into those parts of the city, town, or district located outside of that county.
     (4) If a first-class or code city authorizes the production and distribution of a local voters' pamphlet, the city clerk of that city shall notify any special taxing district located wholly within that city that a pamphlet will be produced. Notification shall be provided in the manner required or provided for in subsection (1) of this section.
     (5) A unit of local government located within a county and the county may enter into an interlocal agreement for the publication of a voters' pamphlet for offices or measures not required by subsection (2) of this section to appear in a county's pamphlet.