HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1666
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by House Committee On:
Local Government
Title: An act relating to combining a resolution proposing abandonment and a resolution proposing a council-manager plan of government into a single proposition.
Brief Description: Combining a resolution proposing abandonment and a resolution proposing a council-manager plan of government into a single proposition.
Sponsors: Representatives Vick and Walen.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Local Government: 2/8/19, 2/13/19 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Pollet, Chair; Peterson, Vice Chair; Kraft, Ranking Minority Member; Griffey, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Goehner and Senn.
Staff: Robbi Kesler (786-7153).
Background:
Cities and towns are classified when they incorporate or are reorganized. Four classes of municipal government exist under Washington law: (1) first-class cities; (2) second-class cities; (3) towns; and (4) optional municipal code cities.
Code cities may operate with one of three different plans of government: council-manager, mayor-council, or commission. The council-manager plan consists of an elected city council serving as the legislative body and an appointed city manager responsible for city administration. The mayor-council plan includes an elected mayor serving as the city's chief administrative officer and an elected council acting as the legislative body. Under the commission plan, elected commissioners serve as the legislative authority and as city department directors.
Abandonment of the city's current plan of government in order to adopt a new plan requires an election after a resolution from the legislative body or a petition signed by a number of registered voters, which cannot be not less than 10 percent of the votes cast at the last general municipal election. If the resolution or petition proposes a plan of government other than a mayor-council or council-manager, the petition must specify the class the city will be classified as upon adoption.
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Summary of Bill:
The resolution or petition of proposing abandonment of a city's current plan of government must include the proposed new plan of the government's effective date.
A resolution proposing abandonment of a code city's plan of government and a resolution proposing to designate a person elected to they city council, position one as the chair, may be combined for purposes of placing the matters before the voters of the city as a single proposition.
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Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 31, 2019.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) This bill provides efficiency and takes care of two issues at once. If a city is changing the government structure today, two votes are required. It also gives an additional option when a community wants to consider moving to a different type of government. This bill allows a city's council to combine a proposition to change to a council-manager form of government with a directly elected mayor. If the citizens vote no on the combined proposition, then neither can happen.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Vick, primary sponsor; Candice Bock, Association of Washington Cities; and David Scott, City of Washougal.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.