SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5060

              As Passed Senate, February 8, 1995

Title:  An act relating to publication of legal notices by political subdivisions.

Brief Description:  Regulating publication of legal notices by political subdivisions.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  1/19/95, 1/24/95 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/8/95, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Sheldon, Vice Chair; Drew, Hale, McCaslin and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  Counties do not have the authority granted to cities and towns in this general statute to publish debt ordinances by title instead of by section-by-section summary.

Cities and towns all have authority in the statutes which create and empower them individually to publish summaries of ordinances and titles of debt ordinances.  These statutes have technical requirements at variance from those of the general statute.

Summary of Bill:  Counties are given the ability to publish titles of debt ordinances rather than section-by-section summaries.

Cities and towns are removed from the general statute regarding publication of ordinances.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  It is important to extend to counties the ability to publish debt ordinances by title.  It will save quite a bit of money in publishing costs.  The bill will also eliminate the confusion for the cities and towns caused by these being both the general and specific statutes for them on the subject of legal publication of ordinances.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Stan Finkelstein, AWC; Gary Lowe, Counties Associations.