S-3586.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6654

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Morton and Roach

Read first time 01/26/98.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Requiring county legislative authorities to determine district court judge salaries.

    AN ACT Relating to salaries of district court judges; amending RCW 3.58.010, 3.58.020, 43.03.012, and 43.03.310; and providing an effective date.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 3.58.010 and 1986 c 155 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    The annual salary of each full time district court judge shall be established by the ((Washington citizen's commission on salaries for elected officials)) county legislative authority.  A member of the legislature whose term of office is partly coextensive with or extends beyond the present term of office of any of the officials whose salary is increased by virtue of the provisions of RCW 43.03.010, 2.04.092, 2.06.062, 2.08.092, and ((3.58.010)) this section shall be eligible to be appointed or elected to any of the offices the salary of which is increased hereby but ((he)) the member shall not be entitled to receive such increased salary until after the expiration of ((his)) the member's present term of office and ((his)) the member's subsequent election or reelection to the office to which ((he)) the member was appointed or elected respectively during ((his)) the member's term of office as legislator.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 3.58.020 and 1991 c 338 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    The annual salaries of part-time district judges shall be set by the ((citizens' commission on salaries)) county legislative authority.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 43.03.012 and 1997 c 458 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    Pursuant to Article XXVIII, section 1 of the state Constitution and RCW 2.04.092, 2.06.062, 2.08.092, 3.58.010, and 43.03.310, the annual salaries of the judges of the state shall be as follows:

    (1) Effective September 1, 1995:

    (a) Justices of the supreme court................... $ 109,880

    (b) Judges of the court of appeals.................. $ 104,448

    (c) Judges of the superior court.................... $  99,015

    (d) Full-time judges of the district court.......... $  94,198

    (2) Effective September 1, 1997:

    (a) Justices of the supreme court................... $ 112,078

    (b) Judges of the court of appeals.................. $ 106,537

    (c) Judges of the superior court.................... $ 100,995

    (((d) Full-time judges of the district court........ $  96,082

    (3) The salary for a part-time district court judge shall be the proportion of full-time work for which the position is authorized, multiplied by the salary for a full-time district court judge.))

    Sec. 4.  RCW 43.03.310 and 1995 c 3 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials shall study the relationship of salaries to the duties of members of the legislature, all elected officials of the executive branch of state government, and all judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, and superior courts, ((and district courts,)) and shall fix the salary for each respective position.

    (2) Except as provided otherwise in RCW 43.03.305 and this section, the commission shall be solely responsible for its own organization, operation, and action and shall enjoy the fullest cooperation of all state officials, departments, and agencies.

    (3) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be eligible to receive a subsistence allowance and travel expenses pursuant to RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

    (4) The members of the commission shall elect a chair from among their number.  The commission shall set a schedule of salaries by an affirmative vote of not less than nine members of the commission.

    (5) The commission shall file its initial schedule of salaries for the elected officials with the secretary of state no later than the first Monday in June, 1987, and shall file a schedule biennially thereafter.  Each such schedule shall be filed in legislative bill form, shall be assigned a chapter number and published with the session laws of the legislature, and shall be codified by the statute law committee.  The signature of the chair of the commission shall be affixed to each schedule submitted to the secretary of state.  The chair shall certify that the schedule has been adopted in accordance with the provisions of state law and with the rules, if any, of the commission.  Such schedules shall become effective ninety days after the filing thereof, except as provided in Article XXVIII, section 1 of the state Constitution.  State laws regarding referendum petitions shall apply to such schedules to the extent consistent with Article XXVIII, section 1 of the state Constitution.

    (6) Prior to the filing of any salary schedule, the commission shall hold no fewer than four public hearings thereon within the four months immediately preceding the filing.

    (7) All meetings, actions, hearings, and business of the commission shall be subject in full to the open public meetings act, chapter 42.30 RCW.

    (8) Salaries of the officials referred to in subsection (1) of this section that are in effect on January 12, 1987, shall continue until modified by the commission under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  This act takes effect September 1, 1998.

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