SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1200

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

             Government Operations, March 21, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the code of ethics for municipal officers.

Brief Description:  Revising the code of ethics for municipal officers.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by Representatives Buck, D. Schmidt and Dunn).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  3/21/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chair; Hale, Vice Chair; Anderson, Haugen, Horn and Patterson.

Staff:  Kathleen Healy (786-7403)

Background:  The municipal code of ethics prohibits municipal officers from having a direct or indirect beneficial interest in a contract which is made by, through, or under the supervision of that officer.  A municipal officer is any elected or appointed officer of a unit of local government, and includes any deputies and assistants of that officer.

A number of exemptions to this prohibition have been established, and some of these exemptions pertain to the hiring of a spouse of a municipal officer.  All of these particular spousal exemptions apply only to school districts.  There are no spousal exemptions from the prohibition against a municipal officer having a beneficial interest in a contract for any other type of municipality.

Summary of Bill:  A public hospital district may employ the spouse of a public hospital district commissioner without violating the municipal code of ethics if (1) the spouse was employed by the district before the initial election of the commissioner; (2) the terms of the contract are commensurate with provisions for similar employees; (3) the commissioner's interest is disclosed in the public record prior to the letting or continuation of the contract; and (4) the commissioner does not vote on the authorization, approval, or ratification of the contract or any of its conditions.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  No one.