HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5046

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Government Operations

Title:  An act relating to filing requirements for interlocal agreements.

Brief Description:  Revising filing requirements for interlocal agreements.

Sponsors:  Senator Haugen.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  3/17/95, 3/21/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chopp; R. Fisher; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Staff:  Bonnie Austin (786-7135).

Background:  In 1967, the Legislature enacted the Interlocal Cooperation Act.  Under the act, local  governments may enter into agreements to jointly exercise their powers with other public agencies.  All agreements made pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act must be filed with both the county auditor and the Secretary of State.  If an agreement relates to land use planning or building codes, it must also be submitted to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) for nonbinding comment.  According to local governments, the requirements to file interlocal agreements with the Secretary of State and to submit certain interlocal agreements to CTED for comment are generally not complied with.

Summary of Bill:  The requirements to file interlocal agreements with the Secretary of State and to submit certain interlocal agreements to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development are repealed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  These requirements were made obsolete upon the enactment of the Open Public Meetings Act.  They are not complied with, yet could be the basis for invalidating an agreement on technical grounds.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jim Justin, Association of Washington Cities; and Don Whiting, Secretary of State's Office.