AN ACT Relating to adding new judges to the
court of appeals; amending RCW 2.06.020; adding a new section to chapter 2.06
RCW; and declaring an emergency.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.
RCW 2.06.020 and 1989 c 328 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
The court shall have three divisions, one of
which shall be headquartered in Seattle, one of which shall be headquartered in
Spokane, and one of which shall be headquartered in Tacoma:
(1) The first division shall have ((nine))
twelve judges from three districts, as follows:
(a) District 1 shall consist of King county and
shall have ((six)) eight judges;
(b) District 2 shall consist of Snohomish
county and shall have two judges; and
(c) District 3 shall consist of Island, San
Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties and shall have ((one)) two
judges.
(2) The second division shall have ((four))
six judges from the following districts:
(a) District 1 shall consist of Pierce county
and shall have two judges;
(b) District 2 shall consist of Clallam, Grays
Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston counties and shall have ((one))
two judges;
(c) District 3 shall consist of Clark, Cowlitz,
Lewis, Pacific, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties and shall have ((one)) two
judges.
(3) The third division shall have ((four))
five judges from the following districts:
(a) District 1 shall consist of Ferry, Lincoln,
Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties and shall have two judges;
(b) District 2 shall consist of Adams, Asotin,
Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties
and shall have one judge;
(c) District 3 shall consist of Chelan,
Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima counties and shall have ((one)) two
judges.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 2.06 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Any judicial position created by section 1,
chapter . . ., Laws of 1993 (section 1 of this act) shall be
effective only if that position is specifically funded and is referenced by
division and district in an omnibus appropriations act.
(2)(a) The full term of office for the judicial
positions authorized pursuant to this act shall be six years.
(b) The authorized judicial positions shall be
filled at the general election in the November immediately preceding the
beginning of the full term except as provided in (d) and (e) of this
subsection.
(c) The six-year terms shall be staggered as
provided in (c)(i) through (iii) of this subsection.
(i) In the first division, the initial full
terms of six years for the two positions in district 1 shall begin the second
Monday in January following the general election held in November 1993. If the
effective dates for the judicial positions are later than the deadline to
include them in the November 1993 election, the initial full terms shall begin
the second Monday in January following the general election held in November
1999. The initial full term of six years for the position in district 3 shall
begin on the second Monday in January following the general election held in
November 1996. If the effective date for the judicial position is later than
the deadline to include it in the November 1996 election, the initial full term
shall begin the second Monday in January following the general election held in
November 2002.
(ii) In the second division, the initial full
term of six years for the position in district 2 shall begin the second Monday
in January following the general election held in November 1994. If the
effective date of the judicial position is later than the deadline to include
it in the November 1994 election the initial full term shall begin the second
Monday in January following the general election held in November 2000. The
initial full term for the position in district 3 shall begin the second Monday
in January following the general election held in November 1998. If the
effective date of the judicial position is later than the deadline to include
it in the November 1998 election, the initial full term shall begin the second Monday
in January following the general election held in November 2004.
(iii) In the third division, the initial full
term of six years for the position in district 3 shall begin the second Monday
in January following the general election held in November 1994. If the
effective date of the judicial position is later than the deadline to include
it in the November 1994 election, the initial full term will begin the second
Monday in January following the general election held in November 2000.
(d) Upon becoming effective pursuant to
subsection (1) of this section, the governor shall appoint judges to the
additional judicial positions authorized in section 1, chapter . . .,
Laws of 1993 (section 1 of this act). The appointed judges shall hold office
until the second Monday in January following the general election following the
effective date of the position. The appointed judges and other judicial
candidates are entitled to run for the judicial position at the general
election following appointment.
(e) The initial election for these positions
shall be held in November following the effective date of the position. If the
initial election of a newly authorized position is not held on a date which
corresponds to the beginning of a full term as specified in (c)(i) through
(iii) of this subsection, the election shall be for a partial term.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace,
health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and shall take effect immediately.
