HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2340

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the annual meeting of the association of superior court judges.

Brief Description:  Allowing the association of superior court judges to establish when the annual meeting will be held.

Sponsors:  Representatives Sheahan, Costa, Hickel and Delvin.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Law & Justice:  1/16/96, 1/19/96 [DP].

  Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/5/96, 96-0.

     Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 17 members:  Representatives Sheahan, Chairman; Delvin, Vice Chairman; Hickel, Vice Chairman; Dellwo, Ranking Minority Member; Costa, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Carrell; Chappell; Cody; Lambert; McMahan; Morris; Murray; Robertson; Smith; Sterk and Veloria.

Staff:  Bill Perry (786-7123).

Background:  By statute, all the judges of the Superior Courts are members of the association of Superior Court judges.  Also by statute, the annual meeting of the association is to be held "in July or August."  The association would like to be able to determine when to hold its annual meeting.  In 1994, the Legislature amended a similar provision relating to the District Court judges to allow them to set the time for their annual meeting.

Summary of Bill:  The Superior Court Judges Association is given authority to set the time for its annual meeting.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The current archaic law is unnecessarily restrictive and serves no purpose.  The bill will give the association the flexibility to hold its meeting at the same time as the judicial conference set by the Washington Supreme Court.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Judge Rosanne Buckner, Superior Court Judges Association (pro).