SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5118

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                        FEBRUARY 9, 1993

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to municipal ordinances.

SPONSORS: Senators Drew and von Reichbauer

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5118 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, Oke, Owen, von Reichbauer, and Winsley.

Staff:  Katie Healy (786‑7784)

Hearing Dates: January 29, 1993; February 9, 1993

BACKGROUND:

When a city or town codifies its ordinances, a copy of the codification is filed in the office of the city or town clerk.  A means of providing a single source for cities and towns to access information regarding ordinances of other cities or towns is desired.

The violation of a town ordinance is a misdemeanor.  It may be prosecuted as a criminal matter or handled through a civil action.

SUMMARY:

The clerk of every city and town must provide the Municipal Research Council or its designee a copy of each regulatory ordinance promptly after adoption.  The Municipal Research Council or its designee may develop a list of other kinds of ordinances to be furnished by the clerk after adoption.  The copies of the ordinances are provided without charge.  This information is available to the entities contracting with the Municipal Research Council for services.

The violation of a town ordinance is a misdemeanor or a civil violation subject to a monetary penalty, and may be prosecuted as a criminal offense or handled through a civil action.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The section allowing violation of a town ordinance to be redressed by civil action is deleted.  The addition of the new language makes the second reference to the civil action redundant.  The reference to civil violations is made consistent with comparable statutes.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Other than a question about the term "promptly," there was no objection to the first section.  The second section makes the language parallel to the language in the statutes for first and second class cities.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities (pro)