HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 1222

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                                 Education

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):  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.

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 ofSubstitute Bill:    The school board of each school district is given the responsibility and authority to divide or redivide director districts.  The regional committees are removed from the process.  This change applies to all divisions and redivisions and is not limited to redivision of director districts after a census.  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.

RCW 28A.315.685 which prohibits two directors from residing within a director district in second class school districts which maintain a system allowing the directors to be elected from a combination of three director districts and two at-large districts is repealed.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill solves a technical problem by including and amending three additional RCWs (in Sections 3,6, and 8) relating to the division or redivision of director district boundaries. 

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 16, 1991.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  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).