Brief Description: Outlining the duties of the lieutenant governor.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Kastama, Roach, Eide, Pflug and Shin; by request of Lieutenant Governor).

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections
House Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability

Background: The Washington State constitution provides that the executive department is comprised of eight executive officers who are elected statewide. These officers are the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Commissioner of Public Lands.

Each of these officers' general powers and duties is found in a separate chapter of the Revised Code of Washington (Code), except for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, to which a title is devoted, and the Office of Lieutenant Governor, for which there is no chapter or title. Each of the eight executive offices' duties is found in a separate section of Article 3 of the State Constitution.

Summary: A separate chapter, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, is created in the Revised Code of Washington. Existing sections of law that concern the legislative international trade account, the legislative committee on economic development, and the association of Washington generals are removed from their current positions in the Code and placed in the new chapter. The new chapter also includes a list of the boards and committees on which the Lieutenant Governor serves. In addition, the new chapter contains a list of the boards and committees to which the Lieutenant Governor, both in his or her capacity as the Lieutenant Governor and as the President of the Senate, appoints members. The Lieutenant Governor's duties are listed, including his service as the President of the Senate; as the Governor when the Governor is out of state and the Lieutenant Governor's compensation therefor; and as the awarding official for the law enforcement medal of honor when delegated to serve as such by the Governor.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      97   1

Effective: June 7, 2006