H-2030.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2116

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Dunshee, Gombosky, Blalock, Murray, Benson and Anderson

Read first time 02/21/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

Dividing legislative districts into two subdistricts.

    AN ACT Relating to legislative districts; and amending RCW 44.05.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 44.05.090 and 1990 c 126 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    In the redistricting plan based upon the 2000 federal census and thereafter:

    (1) Legislative districts shall have ((a)) populations as nearly equal as is practicable, excluding nonresident military personnel, based on the population reported in the federal ((decennial)) census.  Each legislative district will be divided into two subdistricts, A and B.  Subdistricts must have populations as nearly equal as is practicable, excluding nonresident military personnel, based on the population in the federal decennial census.

    (2) To the extent consistent with subsection (1) of this section the commission plan should, insofar as practical, accomplish the following:

    (a) District and subdistrict lines should be drawn so as to coincide with the boundaries of local political subdivisions and areas recognized as communities of interest.  The number of counties and municipalities divided among more than one district or subdistrict should be as small as possible;

    (b) Districts and subdistricts should be composed of convenient, contiguous, and compact territory.  Land areas may be deemed contiguous if they share a common land border or are connected by a ferry, highway, bridge, or tunnel.  Areas separated by geographical boundaries or artificial barriers that prevent transportation within a district or subdistrict should not be deemed contiguous; and

    (c) Whenever practicable, a precinct shall be wholly within a single legislative district or subdistrict.

    (3) The commission's plan and any plan adopted by the supreme court under RCW 44.05.100(4) shall provide for forty-nine legislative districts.

    (4) The house of representatives shall consist of ninety-eight members, ((two of whom shall be elected from and run at large within each legislative district)) each of whom must run from a separate legislative subdistrict.  The senate shall consist of forty-nine members, one of whom shall be elected from ((each)) a separate legislative district.

    (5) The commission shall exercise its powers to provide fair and effective representation and to encourage electoral competition.  The commission's plan shall not be drawn purposely to favor or discriminate against any political party or group.

                            --- END ---