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