SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5380

              As Passed Senate, February 24, 1997

Title:  An act relating to boundary review board members' per diem.

Brief Description:  Raising the maximum per diem for boundary review board members.

Sponsors:  Senators Horn, Haugen, Benton, Franklin, Zarelli and Bauer.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  2/6/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/14/97, 46-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

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

Staff:  Eugene Green (786-7405)

Background:  State law establishes a boundary review board in each county with a population of 210,000 or more (King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Clark).  A boundary review board may be established in any other county by either resolution of the county legislative authority or by a petition signed by qualified electors.  The boundary review board in each county with a population of one million or more (King) consists of 11 members.  The boundary review board in each county with a population of one million or less consists of five members.

Each member of a boundary review board is compensated from the county current expense fund at a rate of $25 per day for time actually devoted to work of the board.  This amount has not changed since the enactment of boundary review boards in 1967.  Most major special purpose district commissioners receive a per diem of $50 and the total per diem cannot exceed $4,800 in a term.

Summary of Bill:  The compensation for a member of a boundary review board is raised from $25 to $50 per day.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The compensation hasn=t been changed for 30 years.  Most boards don=t meet too often, so fiscal impact will be minimal.  This change will put us in line with boards of similar responsibility.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Annemarie Wiser, Dick Schoon, Miriam Graves, BRB (pro).