S-1311.2 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5026
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senator Smith)
Read first time 02/10/95.
AN ACT Relating to separating the duties of coroner and prosecuting attorney; and amending RCW 36.16.030, 36.17.020, and 36.24.175.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 36.16.030 and 1991 c 363 ss 46, 47 are each amended to read as follows:
Except
as provided elsewhere in this section, in every county there shall be elected
from among the qualified voters of the county a county assessor, a county
auditor, a county clerk, a county coroner, three county commissioners, a county
prosecuting attorney, a county sheriff and a county treasurer, except that in
each county with a population of twenty thousand or more and less than forty
thousand the county legislative authority may appoint a coroner, and in each
county with a population of less than ((forty)) twenty
thousand no coroner shall be elected or appointed and the prosecuting
attorney shall be ex officio coroner. Whenever the population of a county
increases to forty thousand or more, ((the prosecuting attorney)) an
appointed coroner shall continue ((as ex officio coroner)) until a
coroner is elected, at the next general election at which the office of ((prosecuting
attorney)) coroner normally would be elected, and assumes office as
provided in RCW 29.04.170. In any county where ((the population has once
attained forty thousand people and)) a current elected coroner is in
office and a subsequent census indicates less than ((forty)) twenty
thousand people, the county legislative authority may maintain the office of
coroner by resolution or ordinance. If the county legislative authority has
not passed a resolution or enacted an ordinance to maintain the office of
coroner, the elected coroner shall remain in office for the remainder of the
term for which he or she was elected, but no coroner shall be elected at the
next election at which that office would otherwise be filled and the
prosecuting attorney shall be the ex officio coroner.
In a county where the county legislative authority appoints the coroner, the county legislative authority shall set the coroner's salary and the coroner shall serve at the pleasure of the county legislative authority. An appointed coroner may serve two or more counties if the legislative authorities of the counties authorize such arrangement by interlocal agreement.
A noncharter county may have five county commissioners as provided in RCW 36.32.010 and 36.32.055 through 36.32.0558.
Sec. 2. RCW 36.17.020 and 1994 sp.s. c 4 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
The county legislative authority of each county is authorized to establish the salaries of the elected officials of the county. One-half of the salary of each prosecuting attorney shall be paid by the state. The annual salary of a county elected official shall not be less than the following:
(1) In each county with a population of one million or more: Auditor, clerk, treasurer, sheriff, members of the county legislative authority, and coroner, eighteen thousand dollars; assessor, nineteen thousand dollars; and prosecuting attorney, thirty thousand three hundred dollars;
(2) In each county with a population of from two hundred ten thousand to less than one million: Auditor, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; clerk, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; treasurer, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; sheriff, nineteen thousand five hundred dollars; assessor, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, twenty-four thousand eight hundred dollars; members of the county legislative authority, nineteen thousand five hundred dollars; and coroner, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars;
(3) In each county with a population of from one hundred twenty-five thousand to less than two hundred ten thousand: Auditor, sixteen thousand dollars; clerk, sixteen thousand dollars; treasurer, sixteen thousand dollars; sheriff, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; assessor, sixteen thousand dollars; prosecuting attorney, twenty-four thousand eight hundred dollars; members of the county legislative authority, seventeen thousand six hundred dollars; and coroner, sixteen thousand dollars;
(4) In each county with a population of from seventy thousand to less than one hundred twenty-five thousand: Auditor, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; clerk, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; treasurer, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; assessor, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; sheriff, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, twenty-three thousand seven hundred dollars; members of the county legislative authority, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars; and coroner, fourteen thousand nine hundred dollars;
(5) In each county with a population of from forty thousand to less than seventy thousand: Auditor, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; clerk, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; treasurer, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; assessor, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; sheriff, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, twenty-three thousand seven hundred dollars; members of the county legislative authority, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; and coroner, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars;
(6) In
each county with a population of from eighteen thousand to less than forty
thousand: Auditor, twelve thousand one hundred dollars; clerk, twelve thousand
one hundred dollars; treasurer, twelve thousand one hundred dollars; sheriff,
twelve thousand one hundred dollars; assessor, twelve thousand one hundred
dollars; prosecuting attorney in such a county in which there is no state
university or college, fourteen thousand three hundred dollars; in such a
county in which there is a state university or college, sixteen thousand five
hundred dollars; ((and)) members of the county legislative authority,
eleven thousand dollars; and elected coroner, twelve thousand one hundred
dollars;
(7) In each county with a population of from twelve thousand to less than eighteen thousand: Auditor, ten thousand one hundred dollars; clerk, ten thousand one hundred dollars; treasurer, ten thousand one hundred dollars; assessor, ten thousand one hundred dollars; sheriff, eleven thousand two hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, thirteen thousand two hundred dollars; and members of the county legislative authority, nine thousand four hundred dollars;
(8) In each county with a population of from eight thousand to less than twelve thousand: Auditor, ten thousand one hundred dollars; clerk, ten thousand one hundred dollars; treasurer, ten thousand one hundred dollars; assessor, ten thousand one hundred dollars; sheriff, eleven thousand two hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, nine thousand nine hundred dollars; and members of the county legislative authority, seven thousand dollars;
(9) In each county with a population of from five thousand to less than eight thousand: Auditor, nine thousand one hundred dollars; clerk, nine thousand one hundred dollars; treasurer, nine thousand one hundred dollars; assessor, nine thousand one hundred dollars; sheriff, ten thousand five hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, nine thousand nine hundred dollars; and members of the county legislative authority, six thousand five hundred dollars;
(10) In each other county: Auditor, nine thousand one hundred dollars; clerk, nine thousand one hundred dollars; treasurer, nine thousand one hundred dollars; sheriff, ten thousand five hundred dollars; assessor, nine thousand one hundred dollars; prosecuting attorney, nine thousand nine hundred dollars; and members of the county legislative authority, six thousand five hundred dollars.
Sec. 3. RCW 36.24.175 and 1991 c 363 s 54 are each amended to read as follows:
In
each county with a population of ((forty)) twenty thousand or
more, no person shall be qualified for the office of county coroner as provided
for in RCW 36.16.030 who is an owner or employee of any funeral home or
mortuary.
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