SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SHB 1602

    AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, APRIL 5, 1993

Brief Description:  Changing election provisions for regional committee members.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Chappell, Cothern and Thomas; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Pelz, Chairman; McAuliffe, Vice Chairman; Moyer, Nelson, M. Rasmussen, Rinehart, Skratek, and A. Smith.

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786‑7439)

Hearing Dates: March 24, 1993; March 31, 1993

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Without recommendation. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Spanel, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hargrove, Hochstatter, Jesernig, McDonald, Moyer, Niemi, Owen, Pelz, Quigley, Roach, Snyder, Sutherland, Talmadge, West, Williams, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Bill Freund (786-7441)

Hearing Dates: April 5, 1993

BACKGROUND:

There are nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) in the state that provide services to school districts.  Each of these ESDs has a "regional committee" that is responsible for hearing and making decisions regarding proposed school district boundary changes.  Regional committees also make equitable adjustments in assets when boundaries are changed, and are involved in decisions regarding sharing the costs of high school construction with non-high school districts.  Decisions made by regional committees may be appealed to the State Board of Education.

Seven to nine members serve on the regional committees, and committee members serve five-year terms.  The election of members is staggered, with a portion of the committee up for election each year.  It has been recommended that regional committee member elections be held every two years instead of each year in order to eliminate an administrative burden with no corresponding loss in effectiveness.

SUMMARY:

Regional committee member elections shall be held every two years instead of each year.  The term for regional committee members is reduced from five to four years.

A process for implementing the change is provided.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

A technical amendment of a grammatical nature is made.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is an efficiency and cost-cutting measure, and was developed at the request of the Educational Service Districts.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Susan Patrick, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (pro)