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                         SENATE BILL 5467

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State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Smith, McCaslin, Gaspard, Deccio, Wojahn, Snyder, Haugen, Morton, Long, Hale, Rinehart, Newhouse, Loveland, McDonald, Bauer, Oke and Winsley; by request of Supreme Court

Read first time 01/24/95.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Reducing the size of the state supreme court.

    AN ACT Relating to the size of the state supreme court; and amending RCW 2.04.070 and 2.04.071.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 2.04.070 and 1909 c 24 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

When a vacancy on the supreme court occurs by death, resignation, or otherwise after the effective date of this act, it will not be filled until the number of judges on that court has been reduced to seven.  Thereafter, the supreme court((, from and after February 26, 1909,)) shall consist of ((nine)) seven judges.

A vacancy can occur by resignation, retirement, death, or otherwise.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 2.04.071 and 1971 c 81 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    ((At the next general election, and at each biennial general election thereafter, there shall be elected three justices of the supreme court, to hold for the full term of six years, and until their successors are elected and qualified)) Upon the reduction in size of the supreme court from nine to seven justices, no fewer than two nor more than three judges shall be elected at each biennial general election to serve six-year terms, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding their election.

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