HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     SHB 1222

                           As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to school district directors' districts.

Brief Description:  Placing the responsibility for the formation of school directors' districts with the districts' boards of directors.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Betrozoff, Peery, Brumsickle, G. Fisher, Brough, Holland, Paris, Broback, Nealey and Orr).

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Education, February 6, 1991, DPS;

Passed House, February 18, 1991, 98-0;

Amended by Senate;

House Concurred;

Passed Legislature, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1222 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 18 members:  Representatives Peery, Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Vance, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Betrozoff; Broback; Brumsickle; Cole; Dorn; Holland; P. Johnson; Jones; Neher; Orr; Phillips; Rasmussen; Roland; H. Sommers; and Valle.

Staff:  Susan Kirkpatrick (786-7291).

Background:  There is a question about the correlation between the school director district laws (RCW 28A.315) and the census laws (RCW 29.70) regarding the procedure to be followed in redividing school director districts after a census has been taken.  Under the school director district laws, the regional committee of each educational service district plays a decisive role in dividing or redividing director districts.  Under the census law, the school boards would have the authority to redivide the director districts.  The issue is whether it is the school board or the regional committee which has or should have the authority to divide or redivide director districts. 

Current law prohibits two directors from residing within the boundaries of a director district in second class school districts which maintain a system allowing members of the board of directors to be elected from a combination of three director districts and two director at-large districts.  Proponents of the bill believe that this restriction is not practical in small school districts.

Summary of Bill:  The school board of each school district is given the responsibility and authority to divide or redivide director districts no later than eight months after any of the following:

(1)  Receipt of federal decennial census data from the redistricting commission;

(2)  Consolidation of two or more districts into one district;

(3)  Transfer of territory to or from the district;

(4)  Annexation of territory to or from the district;

(5)  Approval by a majority of the registered voters voting on a proposition authorizing the division of the district into director districts pursuant to RCW 28A.315.590 which authorizes division of school districts not already divided into directors' districts.

All divisions and redivisions are required to be done in accordance with RCW 29.70.100, which sets forth the procedure and criteria for redistricting.

District boundary changes, including changes in director district boundaries, are required to be submitted to the county auditor within 30 days after the changes have been approved by the school district board of directors.  Any boundary changes submitted to the county auditor after the fourth Monday in June of odd-numbered years shall not take effect until the following year.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 16, 1991.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  School districts should be treated the same way as any other elected body with respect to redistricting so that school boards would have the authority to divide or redivide their internal director district boundaries.   The prohibition against two directors residing within a director district in second class school districts causes practical problems in small school districts and should be repealed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors' Association (in favor).