SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   ESJR 8231

                      AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 11, 1992

Brief Description:  Changing nomination procedures for filling certain legislative vacancies and vacancies in the office of county commissioner.

SPONSORS: Senators Vognild, Hayner, Skratek, McCaslin, Snyder, Newhouse, Madsen, Erwin, Stratton, Sellar, Sutherland and Nelson

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Roach, Vice Chairman; Madsen, and Sutherland.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Hearing Dates: February 4, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Article II, Section 15 of the State Constitution provides that a vacancy in either house of the Legislature or in any partisan county office shall be filled by appointments by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the vacancy occurs.  The person appointed to fill the vacancy must be from the same legislative district, county or county commissioner district and the same political party as the person whose office has been vacated, and shall be one of three persons who shall be nominated by the county central committee of that party.  If a vacancy occurs in the office of joint senator or joint representative, the vacancy is filled from a list of three nominees selected by the state central committee.  Some feel that only those precinct committee persons from the affected legislative district or commissioner district should make the nominations to fill the vacancy.

SUMMARY:

If a vacancy occurs in any legislative district or county commissioner district, the nominations to fill the vacancy shall be made by the precinct committee persons of the appropriate party from the affected legislative district or commissioner district. 

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  No one