Z-491                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3165

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Bottiger, Thompson, Vognild, Bauer, von Reichbauer and Bailey

Read first time 1/21/85 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to superior court; amending RCW 2.08.061, 2.08.062, and 2.08.064; and providing an effective date.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 3, chapter 125, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 1, chapter 183, Laws of 1980 and RCW 2.08.061 are each amended to read as follows:

          There shall be in the county of King no more than thirty-nine judges of the superior court; in the county of Spokane  ten judges of the superior court; in the county of Pierce ((thirteen)) fifteen judges of the superior court:  PROVIDED, That ((the additional offices herein created for the county of Pierce shall be effective January 1, 1981:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That)) the additional judicial positions created by the 1980 amendment of this section for the county of King shall become effective only if prior to July 1, 1980, the county through its duly constituted legislative authority has documented its approval thereof and has agreed to pay out of county funds without reimbursement from the state, the same portion of all expenses of such additional positions as it provides for the positions presently existing, in which case such positions shall become effective on January 1, 1981.

        Sec. 2.  Section 4, chapter 125, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 2, chapter 202, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and RCW 2.08.062 are each amended to read as follows:

          There shall be in the counties of Chelan and Douglas jointly, two judges of the superior court; in the county of Clark ((five)) six judges of the superior court; in the county of Grays Harbor two judges of the superior court; in the county of Kitsap five judges of the superior court; in the county of Kittitas one judge of the superior court; in the county of Lewis two judges of the superior court:  PROVIDED, That the additional office herein created for the county of Kitsap shall be effective January 1, 1981.

        Sec. 3.  Section 6, chapter 125, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 2, chapter 139, Laws of 1982 and RCW 2.08.064 are each amended to read as follows:

          There shall be in the counties of Benton and Franklin jointly, five judges of the superior court; in the county of Clallam, two judges of the superior court; in the county of Jefferson, one judge of the superior court; in the county of Snohomish, ((eight)) nine judges of the superior court; in the counties of Asotin, Columbia and Garfield jointly, one judge of the superior court; in the county of Cowlitz, three judges of the superior court; in the counties of Klickitat and Skamania jointly, one judge of the superior court.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     This act shall take effect January 1, 1986.  The additional judicial positions created by sections 1, 2, and 3 of this act in Pierce, Clark, and Snohomish counties shall be effective only if, prior to January 1, 1986, each county through its duly constituted legislative authority documents its approval of the additional positions and its agreement that it will pay out of county funds, without reimbursement from the state, the expenses of such additional judicial positions as provided by statute.