FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5040

                           C 37 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Prescribing the selection process for district court districting committees.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen and Winsley).

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Operations

Background:  Counties operate district courts which, together with municipal courts, serve as courts of limited jurisdiction.  These courts may conduct trials for misdemeanors, traffic offenses, "small claims," and other civil claims of limited monetary value.  When population and workload require, counties may establish two or more geographical districts for district courts.  The establishment and revision of these district boundaries is done by a districting committee composed of one superior court judge, the prosecuting attorney or deputy, a practicing lawyer, a judge of a court of limited jurisdiction, and each mayor or his or her representative from every city with a population of 3,000 or more.  If there is a city in the county with a population of 10,000 or more, a person is selected by the president of the Association of Washington Cities to represent all cities and towns with a population of less than 3,000.  If there is no city in the county with a population of 10,000 or more, the mayor or his or her representative from each city and town, regardless of population, shall be a member of the committee.

In those cases where a districting committee is to be formed in a county which has a city with a population of 10,000 or more, the president of the Association of Washington Cities may not be sufficiently informed or may have personal conflicts that make it inappropriate for her or him to make this appointment.

Summary:  When forming a county district court redistricting committee in a county in which there is a city with a population of 10,000 or more, a representative of cities and towns with populations of less than 3,000 must be selected by a majority vote of the mayors of those cities and towns.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    49 0

House     96 0

Effective:  July 23, 1995