FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2369

                         C 119 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for elections in cities with a commission plan of government.

By Representatives Foreman, Sheldon, Basich and Anderson.

House Committee on Local Government

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  A second class city or third class city with a population of from 2,000 to less than 30,000 may adopt a commission plan of government with a governing body composed of three commissioners.  Commissioners possess policy-making powers, as well as administrative and executive powers. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms of office at the same general election once every four years in an odd-numbered year.  There is no staggering of terms of office.

A non-code city that changes its classification to a code city may retain its prior plan of government or choose to operate under one of the two plans of government specified for code cities.

Wenatchee, Shelton, and Raymond are the only cities operating under a commission plan of government.  Each of these three cities is a code city that opted to retain the commission plan of government when the city became a code city.

Summary:  City commissioners are elected to staggered terms of office.

The staggering begins at the next general election when all three commissioners are elected, occurring in 1995 or 1997.  The two elected commissioners who receive the greatest numbers of votes are elected to four-year terms of office, and the other elected commissioner is elected to a two-year term of office.  Thereafter, all commissioners are elected to four-year terms of office.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  91 0

Senate 42 0

Effective:  June 9, 1994