S-3937.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6318

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senators McCaslin, Morton and Deccio

Read first time 01/11/96.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Removing the requirement that a judge must approve the hiring of attorneys by a county legislative authority.

    AN ACT Relating to employment of attorneys by county legislative authorities; and amending RCW 36.32.200.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 36.32.200 and 1983 c 129 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    It shall be unlawful for a county legislative authority to employ or contract with any attorney or counsel to perform any duty which any prosecuting attorney is authorized or required by law to perform, unless the contract of employment of such attorney or counsel has been first reduced to writing ((and approved by the presiding superior court judge of the county in writing endorsed thereon)).  This section shall not prohibit the appointment of deputy prosecuting attorneys in the manner provided by law.

    Any contract written pursuant to this section shall be limited to two years in duration.

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