HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2988

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to school director positions, residency, and vacancies.

Brief Description:  Regarding qualifications for school director positions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Schoesler, Cole and Hickel.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  2/5/98 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Johnson, Chairman; Hickel, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Linville; Quall; Smith; Sterk; Sump; Talcott and Veloria.

Staff:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  People who serve on school boards are called school directors.  School directors are elected by registered voters voting in regular elections.   School directors must meet three criteria to be eligible for election.  They must be citizens of the United States and the state of Washington.  They must also be registered voters of either the school district or the director district.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  School directors must meet three criteria to be eligible for either election or appointment to a school board.  They must be citizens of the United States and the state of Washington.  They must also be registered voters of either the school district or their director district.  Once they are on a school board, school directors are not required to reside in their director district, but they must remain registered voters in the school districts they serve.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  In order to be either elected or appointed to a school board, a person must meet the same citizen and registered voter requirements.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The turnover of school board members is very high.  Boards are small elective bodies of five people.  If people move within a district once they are elected, they should be able to continue to serve on the board until the next election cycle.  Although board members run from director districts, they are elected at large by voters in the school district.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Lorraine Wilson, Washington State School Directors' Association.