SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5137

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                        FEBRUARY 5, 1993

Brief Description:  Making the office of sheriff nonpartisan.

SPONSORS: Senators M. Rasmussen, Deccio, Erwin, Moyer, A. Smith, Haugen, Prince, Spanel, McCaslin, Winsley, von Reichbauer and Oke

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

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

Minority Report:  Do not pass. 

     Signed by Senator Loveland.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Hearing Dates: January 27, 1993; February 5, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Under current law all county offices, except judicial offices and those offices where a county home rule charter provides otherwise, are partisan offices.

SUMMARY:

The office of county sheriff is a nonpartisan office unless the position is declared to be partisan by a county's home rule charter.  All elections for county sheriff are nonpartisan unless a county's home rule charter declares the position to be partisan.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

Effective Date:  July 1, 1994

TESTIMONY FOR:

Partisanship has no place in professional law enforcement.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Bob McBride, Kittitas County Sheriff; Dan LaRoche, Douglas County Sheriff