FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5831

                          C 401 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Eliminating provisions allowing adjacent counties as the venue of actions by or against counties.

Sponsors:  Senators Newhouse, Deccio, Haugen and McCaslin.

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  All actions against a county may be commenced in the superior court of that county or in the adjoining county.  All actions by a county are commenced in the superior court of the county where the defendant resides, or in the superior court of the adjoining county.

Summary:  An action against a county may be brought in the superior court of the county, or in the superior court of either of the two nearest counties.  An action by a county is brought in the superior court of the county in which the defendant resides, or in either of the two counties nearest the county bringing the suit.  The officer of the Administrator for the Courts determines the nearest counties.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 34 14

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate    37 7 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 27, 1997