S-0427.1/91       _______________________________________________

                                 SENATE BILL 5132

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Senators McCaslin, Nelson and Saling.

Read first time January 22, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.Changing provisions relating to gubernatorial appointments.

     AN ACT Relating to gubernatorial appointments; and amending RCW 43.06.030 and 43.06.092.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 43.06.030 and 1981 c 338 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) If a vacancy occurs in an appointive position subject to confirmation or if the term of such an appointive office expires, the governor shall make the required appointment within ninety days of the vacancy.

(2) For a gubernatorial appointment to be effective, the governor must transmit to the secretary of the senate notice of the appointment, along with pertinent information regarding the appointee, within fourteen days after making any appointment subject to senate confirmation.

     Sec. 2.  RCW 43.06.092 and 1981 c 338 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Any gubernatorial appointee subject to senate confirmation ((shall continue to serve unless rejected by a vote of the senate)) appointed during a legislative session or in the interim thereafter, shall be confirmed or rejected by the senate and may not serve until confirmed unless authorized under (b) of this subsection.  Upon the request of the governor, an appointment shall be returned to the governor pursuant to RCW 43.06.094.

(a) If an appointment is made during a regular legislative session, final action by the senate shall occur prior to the adjournment of the session, unless the appointment is made in the last ten days of the session.

(b) If an appointment is made in the last ten days of the regular session, in a special session, or while the legislature is not in session, the senate rules committee or its successor committee shall refer the appointment to the appropriate senate standing committee, which shall by majority vote of its members within thirty days of receipt of the referral, approve or deny the temporary performance of the duties of the office by the appointee until confirmation by the full senate.  Final senate action on the appointment shall be taken no later than thirty days after commencement of the next regular session of the legislature.

(c) An appointee who is rejected by a vote of the senate or who is not confirmed within the thirty-day period under (b) of this subsection shall not be reappointed to the same position for a period of one year from termination of service.

     (2) Any person appointed by the governor to fill the unexpired term of an appointment subject to senate confirmation must also be confirmed by the senate following the same confirmation procedures.