HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6266

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to sewer district commissioners.

Brief Description:  Authorizing sewer district commissioners of a merged district to fulfill their terms of office.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Winsley.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, February 25, 1994, DPA.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Springer, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Moak; Rayburn; Van Luven and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Separate statutes exist providing for the: (1) consolidation of two or more sewer districts into a new sewer district; (2) merger of a sewer district into another sewer district; (3) merger of a water district into a sewer district; (4) consolidation of two or more water districts into a new water district; (5) merger of a water district into another water district; and (6) merger of a sewer district into a water district.

In all but one instance, the board of commissioners of the consolidated or merged district consists of all the commissioners of the consolidating or merging districts.  Provisions are made to gradually reduce the number of commissioners to three.

However, when a sewer district merges into another sewer district, the commissioners of the merging district lose their terms of office effective on the date of the merger, and the commissioners of the merger district remain in office as the commissioners of the merged district.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Provisions of law relating to the merging of sewer districts are altered so that the commissioners of the merging sewer district, along with the commissioners of the merger sewer district, remain in office as the commissioners after the sewer districts merge.  A commissioner vacancy from the merging district is not filled.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Instead of not filling a vacancy from the merging district if the vacancy arises from a resignation, such a vacancy is not filled no matter how the vacancy arises.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Makes procedures for members same as for other mergers and consolidations.  The people will feel represented.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  David Ducharme, Washington State Sewer and Water Association.