HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HB 1281

Public Utility District Commissioners                     Public Hrg:  2/4/97

Brief Title

Reps. Ogden/Cooper/Constantine                       Staff Contact: S. Lundin

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7127

BACKGROUND:

Public utility districts (PUD=s) are municipal corporations authorized to generate and distribute electrical energy, provide potable water, and provide sewer service.

PUD=s are governed by an elected board of commissioners.  Most PUD boards of commissioners are composed of three members who serve six-year staggered terms of office.  Each PUD is divided into three commissioner districts, each with approximately the same population, and the commissioner districts are used for residency purposes for any candidate for the commission position from that district and only voters residing in the district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for the commission position from that district.  However, voters throughout the entire PUD vote at the general election to elect each commissioner.

Voters of a PUD may authorize the board of commissioners to become a five-member board if the PUD has a population of 500,000 or more or if the PUD has a license from the Federal Power Commission to construct a hydroelectric project of an estimated cost of more than $250 million.  If the voters authorize the increase, the PUD is divided into two commissioner districts, each with approximately the same population, for the election of the two additional commissioners.  This second set of commissioner districts is in addition to the normal set of three commissioner districts, which still is used to elect the other three commissioners.  The additional two commissioners are elected to staggered four-year terms of office, but the other three commissioners are still elected to staggered six-year terms of office.

SUMMARY:

Voters of a PUD are authorized to reduce the terms of office of the three commissioners from six to four years.

                                                     Continued

HB 1281 - Page 2

The petition or resolution causing a ballot proposition to be submitted to voters authorizing the creation of a PUD must specify whether the commissioners will serve staggered four-year or six-year terms of office.  Provisions are made to stagger the terms of office of the initial commissioners if a PUD is created at either six-year terms or four-year terms of office.

Voters of any PUD are authorized to increase the number of commissioners from three to five members. The use of the two districts used to elect the fourth and fifth commissioners is clarified to be for residency and nomination purposes only.

A single ballot proposition may include both proposals to increase the number of commissioners to five and to reduce the terms of office of the three commissioners from six to four years.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not Requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournemnt of session in which bill is passed.