Title: An act relating to term limits for the legislative ethics board.

Brief Description: Changing the terms for nonlegislative members of the legislative ethics board.

Sponsors: Senators McCaslin and Kastama.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/10/05, 2/15/05 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/8/05, 46-0; 2/13/06, 44-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin, Mulliken and Pridemore.

Staff: Mac Nicholson (786-7445)

Background: The Legislative Ethics Board enforces the Ethics in Public Service act with respect to members and employees of the Legislature, while the Executive Ethics Board enforces the act with respect to employees of the executive branch of government.

The Legislative Ethics Board is composed of nine members: two senators, two representatives, and five citizen members. Legislative members serve for two year terms and are not term limited. Nonlegislative members may serve for a single five-year term.

The Executive Ethics Board has five members all appointed by the Governor. Members of the executive ethics board may serve for a single five-year term.

Summary of Bill: Members of the Executive Ethics Board and nonlegislative members of the Legislative Ethics Board may serve two five-year terms.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: Board members are currently limited to a single five-year term, and by the time the member gets to know the ethics rules and cases, his or her term is up and he or she can't be reappointed. It's difficult to attract people to be on the board in the first place, so people with experience should be allowed to stay.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Senator McCaslin, prime sponsor.