HOUSE BILL REPORT

HJR 4210

BYRepresentatives Haugen, Brough, Belcher, May, Hine, Dellwo, Ferguson, Nutley, Bristow, Cooper, Holm, L. Smith and Unsoeld

Establishing procedures for the adoption of county home rule charters.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  The substitute resolution be substituted therefor and the substitute resolution do pass.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Beck, Bumgarner, Ferguson, Hine, Madsen, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Rayburn, L. Smith and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT MARCH 3, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The State Constitution requires that the Legislature establish a system of county government, for every noncharter county, that is uniform throughout the state.  Further, the State Constitution requires that the Legislature by general and uniform laws provide for the election of boards of county commissioners, and other county officers, in all noncharter counties.

The State Constitution permits any county to frame and adopt a "Home Rule" charter under a procedure that involves the election of a board of freeholders who frame a proposed charter to revise county government and the submission of the proposed charter to voters countywide for their approval or rejection.  At present, five of the thirty-nine counties operate under a county charter.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION:  An alternative method is provided for placing a proposed county "Home Rule" charter before the voters for their approval or rejection.

The Legislature would be required to create a temporary commission of fifteen members to draft five alternative county charters revising county government.  At least one-third of the commission members are required to be members of the Legislature and elected county officials.

Any one of these alternative charters may be placed directly on the ballot for voters countywide to approve or reject upon either: (1) passage of an ordinance by the existing county legislative authority providing for the submission; or (2) the filing of a petition calling for such a submission, that has been signed by registered voters of the county equal in number to ten percent of the voters voting at the last preceding general election in the county.  Upon approval by the voters, the charter becomes the organic law of the county.

A new commission could be created by the Legislature to redraft the alternative charters.

The ballot title is provided in the joint resolution.

SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The composition of the Commission was altered.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jim Metcalf, Washington State Association of Counties; and former Senator Sue Gould.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This will provide an alternative method.  The freeholder method is still available.  At times some of the proposed charters prepared by freeholders include highly controversial matters that lead to the defeat of the charter.  This proposal includes a descriptive ballot title.  The defeat of a similar measure by the voters in 1973 in part was due to a poorly drafted ballot title.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.