HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2117

                      As Passed House:

                      February 8, 1996

Title:  An act relating to filing declarations of candidacy.

Brief Description:  Advancing the cutoff for candidacy filings.

Sponsors:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Scott, Blanton, Thompson and Costa.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  1/19/96, 1/26/96 [DP].

  Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/8/96, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

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

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Van Luven.

Staff:  Scott White (786-7153).

Background:  Declarations of candidacy are filed during regular business hours with the filing officer no earlier than the fourth Monday in July and no later than the following Friday in the year in which the office is scheduled to be voted upon.  This statute applies to offices that are scheduled to be voted upon for both full terms and short terms during a state general election, and to offices where a vacancy exists that has not been filled by election and for which an election to fill the vacancy is required.

Summary of Bill:  Existing statute is amended to change the current filing period for declarations of candidacy.  The proposed legislation will maintain all existing provisions, except that the filing period will move ahead to a time that is two weeks earlier than the existing time slot.  The new filing period will begin no earlier than the second Monday in July and end no later than the following Friday.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill would reduce the administrative costs associated with elections.  County auditors need more time to prepare voters' pamphlets.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Dave Schmidt, prime sponsor; Bob Terwilliger, Snohomish County Auditor; and Sam Reed, Thurston County Auditor.