Passed by the Senate April 14, 2021 Yeas 48 Nays 0 President of the Senate Passed by the House March 24, 2021 Yeas 98 Nays 0 Speaker of the House of Representatives	CERTIFICATE I, Brad Hendrickson, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5013 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. Secretary Secretary
Approved	FILED
	Secretary of State State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to local redistricting deadlines; amending RCW 29A.76.010 and 29A.76.010; reenacting and amending RCW 29A.92.050 and 29A.92.050; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

(1) It is the responsibility of each county, municipal corporation, and special purpose district with a governing body comprised of internal director, council, or commissioner districts not based on statutorily required land ownership criteria to periodically redistrict its governmental unit, based on population information from the most recent federal decennial census.

(2) Within forty-five days after receipt of federal decennial census information applicable to a specific local area, the commission established in RCW 44.05.030 shall forward the census information to each municipal corporation, county, and district charged with redistricting under this section.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in chapter 301, Laws of 2018, ((no later than eight months after its receipt of federal decennial census data,)) the governing body of the municipal corporation, county, or district shall prepare a plan for redistricting its internal or director districts:

(a) Each internal director, council, or commissioner district shall be as nearly equal in population as possible to each and every other such district comprising the municipal corporation, county, or special purpose district.

(e) To the extent feasible and if not inconsistent with the basic enabling legislation for the municipal corporation, county, or district, the district boundaries shall coincide with existing recognized natural boundaries and shall, to the extent possible, preserve existing communities of related and mutual interest.

(5) During the adoption of its plan, the municipal corporation, county, or district shall ensure that full and reasonable public notice of its actions is provided. Before adopting the plan, the municipal corporation, county, or district must:

(a) Publish the draft plan and hold a meeting, including notice and comment, within ten days of publishing the draft plan and at least one week before adopting the plan; and

(b) Amend the draft as necessary after receiving public comments and resubmit any amended draft plan for additional written public comment at least one week before adopting the plan.

(6)(a) Any registered voter residing in an area affected by the redistricting plan may request review of the adopted local plan by the superior court of the county in which he or she resides, within fifteen days of the plan's adoption. Any request for review must specify the reason or reasons alleged why the local plan is not consistent with the applicable redistricting criteria. The municipal corporation, county, or district may be joined as respondent. The superior court shall thereupon review the challenged plan for compliance with the applicable redistricting criteria set out in subsection (4) of this section.

(b) If the superior court finds the plan to be consistent with the requirements of this section, the plan shall take effect immediately.

(c) If the superior court determines the plan does not meet the requirements of this section, in whole or in part, it shall remand the plan for further or corrective action within a specified and reasonable time period.

(d) If the superior court finds that any request for review is frivolous or has been filed solely for purposes of harassment or delay, it may impose appropriate sanctions on the party requesting review, including payment of attorneys' fees and costs to the respondent municipal corporation, county, or district.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in chapter 301, Laws of 2018, no later than ((eight months after its receipt of federal decennial census data))November 15th of each year ending in one, the governing body of the municipal corporation, county, or district shall prepare a plan for redistricting its internal or director districts.

(a) Publish the draft plan and hold a meeting, including notice and comment, within ten days of publishing the draft plan and at least one week before adopting the plan; and

(b) Amend the draft as necessary after receiving public comments and resubmit any amended draft plan for additional written public comment at least one week before adopting the plan.

(b) If the superior court finds the plan to be consistent with the requirements of this section, the plan shall take effect immediately.

(1)(a) Prior to the adoption of its proposed plan, the political subdivision must provide public notice to residents of the subdivision about the proposed remedy to a potential violation of RCW 29A.92.020. If a significant segment of the residents of the subdivision have limited English proficiency and speaks a language other than English, the political subdivision must:

(i) Provide accurate written and verbal notice of the proposed remedy in languages that diverse residents of the political subdivision can understand, as indicated by demographic data; and

(ii) Air radio or television public service announcements describing the proposed remedy broadcast in the languages that diverse residents of the political subdivision can understand, as indicated by demographic data.

(b) The political subdivision shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed plan at least one week before adoption.

(c) For purposes of this section, "significant segment of the community" means five percent or more of residents, or five hundred or more residents, whichever is fewer, residing in the political subdivision.

(2)(a) If the political subdivision invokes its authority under RCW 29A.92.040 and the plan is adopted during the period of time between the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November and on or before January 15th of the following year, the political subdivision shall order new elections to occur at the next succeeding general election.

(b) If the political subdivision invokes its authority under RCW 29A.92.040 and the plan is adopted during the period of time between January 16th and on or before the first Monday of November, the next election will occur as scheduled and organized under the current electoral system, but the political subdivision shall order new elections to occur pursuant to the remedy at the general election the following calendar year.

(3) If a political subdivision implements a district-based election system under RCW 29A.92.040(2), the plan shall be consistent with the following criteria:

(a) Each district shall be as reasonably equal in population as possible to each and every other such district comprising the political subdivision.

(d) To the extent feasible, the district boundaries shall coincide with existing recognized natural boundaries and shall, to the extent possible, preserve existing communities of related and mutual interest.

(e) District boundaries may not be drawn or maintained in a manner that creates or perpetuates the dilution of the votes of the members of a protected class or classes.

(f) All positions on the governing body must stand for election at the next election for the governing body, scheduled pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. The governing body may subsequently choose to stagger the terms of its positions.

(4) Within forty-five days after receipt of federal decennial census information applicable to a specific local area, the commission established in RCW 44.05.030 shall forward the census information to each political subdivision.

(5) ((No later than eight months after its receipt of federal decennial census data, the))The governing body of the political subdivision that had previously invoked its authority under RCW 29A.92.040 to implement a district-based election system, or that was previously charged with redistricting under RCW 29A.92.110, shall prepare a plan for redistricting its districts, pursuant to RCW 29A.76.010, and in a manner consistent with this chapter:

(i) Provide accurate written and verbal notice of the proposed remedy in languages that diverse residents of the political subdivision can understand, as indicated by demographic data; and

(b) The political subdivision shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed plan at least one week before adoption.

(3) If a political subdivision implements a district-based election system under RCW 29A.92.040(2), the plan shall be consistent with the following criteria:

(a) Each district shall be as reasonably equal in population as possible to each and every other such district comprising the political subdivision.

(e) District boundaries may not be drawn or maintained in a manner that creates or perpetuates the dilution of the votes of the members of a protected class or classes.

(5) No later than ((eight months after its receipt of federal decennial census data))November 15th of each year ending in one, the governing body of the political subdivision that had previously invoked its authority under RCW 29A.92.040 to implement a district-based election system, or that was previously charged with redistricting under RCW 29A.92.110, shall prepare a plan for redistricting its districts, pursuant to RCW 29A.76.010, and in a manner consistent with this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 and 3 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect immediately.