HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2090

                       As Passed House

                       March 18, 1991

Title:  An act relating to short terms of elective offices.

Brief Description:  Defining the "short term" for elective offices.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Anderson, McLean, Pruitt and Bowman.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, March 6, 1991, DP;

Passed House, March 18, 1991, 98-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Minority Member; Bowman, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; R. Fisher; Grant; Moyer; O'Brien; and Sheldon.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  When a candidate for a partisan or nonpartisan office files his or her declaration of candidacy, the candidate files for the full term of an office or, if the purpose of the election is to fill a vacancy in an office, for an unexpired term.  When filing for a full term of office, a candidate also files, under the declaration form prescribed by statute until 1992, for any "short term" in the office.

In 1976, the Legislature defined the "short term" of an office as being that brief period starting with the completion of the certification of election returns and ending with the start of the full term of office in January.  This definition applies only if the office is held by an appointee at the time of the election.  Although the title of the bill which created this definition was restricted to nonpartisan elections, this is the only definition of a "short term" provided by law.

A member of a school district's board of directors assumes office at the first scheduled meeting of the board which follows the election for the office.

Summary of Bill:  A "short term" is defined for a partisan office.  It is the brief period starting upon the completion of the certification of the returns of an election to fill a full term for the office and ending with the start of the full term.  It exists if a vacancy exists in the office on the date of the election or if the office is, on that date, held by a person appointed to fill a vacancy in the office.

A "short term" does not exist for the office of school district director.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.