FINAL BILL REPORT

                  ESB 5600

                         PARTIAL VETO

                          C 204 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Making changes to the internal operations of counties.

Sponsors:  Senators Hale, Haugen and Johnson.

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Administration

Background:  A number of provisions relating to the internal operations of counties require updating.

Summary:  The language prescribing how county auditors pay county superior court judges is updated to provide that judges are paid in the same manner as all other elected officials are paid.

A county's appropriation account may, instead of shall, remain open for 30 days to 60 days at the auditor's discretion in order to pay claims incurred prior to the close of the fiscal year.

The county legislative authority may adopt a resolution to deal with its budget concerns.  The county legislative authority may adopt an ordinance or a resolution providing for a biennial budget on a particular fund or funds, with a biennium review and modification for the second year of the biennium, while other funds remain on an annual budget.  Such ordinance or resolution may be repealed, and the county may revert back to an annual budget for the specific fund or funds at the end of the biennial budget.

If a county receives unanticipated funds from local revenue sources, it may provide by resolution a policy for supplemental appropriations.

Juvenile probation counselors and detention services are administered by the superior court, with three exceptions.  Another exception is added, allowing any county with a population of at least 250,000 but less than 500,000 to prescribe alternative administration of these services by ordinance.

The provision for additional limitations on road fund expenditures is repealed.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 42 7

House     76 21

House     72 25 (House reconsidered)

Effective:  July 27, 1997

Partial Veto Summary:  The partial veto eliminated the section enabling counties with populations between 250,000 and 499,999 to prescribe by ordinance alternative administration of juvenile probation and detention services.