S-2286

AN ACT Relating to county research services; amending RCW 43.110.010, 43.110.030, 82.08.170, and 43.88.114; adding a new section to chapter 43.110 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 43.110.010 and 1990 c 104 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

There shall be a state agency which shall be known as the municipal research council. The council shall be composed of ((~~eighteen~~)) nineteen members. ((~~Four~~)) Two members shall be appointed by the president of the senate, with equal representation from each of the two major political parties; ((~~four~~)) two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, with equal representation from each of the two major political parties; one member shall be appointed by the governor independently; ((~~and the other~~)) nine members, who shall be city or town officials, shall be appointed by the governor from a list of nine nominees submitted by the board of directors of the association of Washington cities; and five members, who shall be county officials, shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom shall be from a list of two nominees submitted by the board of directors of the Washington association of county officials, and three of whom shall be from a list of three nominees submitted by the board of directors of the Washington state association of counties. Of the ((~~members appointed by the association~~)) city or town officials, at least one shall be an official of a city having a population of twenty thousand or more; at least one shall be an official of a city having a population of one thousand five hundred to twenty thousand; and at least one shall be an official of a town having a population of less than one thousand five hundred.

The terms of members shall be for two years ((~~and shall not~~)). The terms of those members who are appointed as legislators or city, town, or county officials shall be dependent upon continuance in legislative ((or)), city, town, or county office. The terms of all members except legislative members shall commence on the first day of August in every odd-numbered year. The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall make their appointments on or before the third Monday in January in each odd-numbered year, and the terms of the members thus appointed shall commence on the third Monday of January in each odd-numbered year.

Council members shall receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses at rates in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 as now existing or hereafter amended, except that members of the council who are also members of the legislature shall be reimbursed at the rates provided by RCW 44.04.120.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.110.030 and 1990 c 104 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The municipal research council shall contract for the provision of municipal research and services to cities ((~~and~~)), towns, and counties. Contracts for municipal research and services shall be made with state agencies, educational institutions, or private consulting firms, that in the judgment of council members are qualified to provide such research and services. Contracts for staff support may be made with state agencies, educational institutions, or private consulting firms that in the judgment of the council members are qualified to provide such support.

Municipal research and services shall consist of: (1) Studying and researching ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government and issues relating to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government; (2) acquiring, preparing, and distributing publications related to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government and issues relating to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government; (3) providing educational conferences relating to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government and issues relating to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government; and (4) furnishing legal, technical, consultative, and field services to cities ((~~and~~)), towns, and counties concerning planning, public health, utility services, fire protection, law enforcement, public works, and other issues relating to ((~~municipal~~)) city, town, and county government. Requests for legal services by county officials shall be sent to the office of the county prosecuting attorney. Responses by the municipal research council to county requests for legal services shall be provided to the requesting official and the county prosecuting attorney.

The activities, programs, and services of the municipal research council shall be carried on, and all expenditures shall be made, in cooperation with the cities and towns of the state acting through the board of directors of the association of Washington cities, which is recognized as their official agency or instrumentality, and in cooperation with counties of the state acting through the Washington state association of counties. Services to cities and towns shall be based upon the moneys appropriated to the municipal research council under RCW 82.44.160. Services to counties shall be based upon the moneys appropriated to the municipal research council from the county research services account under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.110 RCW to read as follows:

A special account is created in the state treasury to be known as the county research services account. The account shall consist of all money transferred to the account under RCW 82.08.170 or otherwise transferred or appropriated to the account by the legislature. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. The account is subject to the allotment process under chapter 43.88 RCW.

Moneys in the county research services account may be expended only to finance the costs of county research.

Sec. 4. RCW 82.08.170 and 1983 c 3 s 215 are each amended to read as follows:

((~~On the first day of~~)) (1) During the months of January, April, July and October of each year, the state treasurer shall make the apportionment and distribution of all moneys in the liquor excise tax fund to the counties, cities and towns in the following proportions: Twenty percent of the moneys in said liquor excise tax fund shall be divided among and distributed to the counties of the state in accordance with the provisions of RCW 66.08.200; eighty percent of the moneys in said liquor excise tax fund shall be divided among and distributed to the cities and towns of the state in accordance with the provisions of RCW 66.08.210.

(2) Each fiscal quarter and prior to making the twenty percent distribution to counties under subsection (1) of this section, the treasurer shall transfer to the county research services account under section 3 of this act sufficient moneys that, when combined with any cash balance in the account, will fund the allotments from any legislative appropriations from the county research services account.

Sec. 5. RCW 43.88.114 and 1983 c 22 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Appropriations of funds to the municipal research council from motor vehicle excise taxes shall not be subject to allotment by the office of financial management.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1997.