SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6778

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          State & Local Government, February 2, 2000

Title:  An act relating to the board of commissioners of a water‑sewer district.

Brief Description:  Modifying the board of commissioners of a water‑sewer district.

Sponsors:  Senator Patterson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/27/2000, 2/2/2000 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Roger Brodniak (786-7445)

Background:  Water-sewer districts are supervised by boards of commissioners of varying size.  A three-member board of commissioners is the default size.  However, if a water-sewer district has over 10,000 customers, the three-member board may determine by resolution to increase its size to five members.  This decision is subject to a vote in a special election if a petition requesting an election is signed by 10 percent of the number of registered voters living in the district who voted in the previous general election.

Water/sewer commissions are authorized to form an association of districts for their mutual benefit, if they choose.

Summary of Bill:  In water-sewer districts of 25,000 customers or more, a five-member board of commissioners may choose to increase the number of commissioners from five to seven.  This decision is subject to a vote in a special election if a petition requesting an election is signed by 10 percent of the number of registered voters living in the district who voted in the previous general election.

The section of the RCW referring to a unified association of water/sewer districts is repealed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Accommodates possible mergers and consolidations of districts.  Recently, the public/private nature of districts has become more complex, and mergers of associations makes for a confusing situation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Joe Daniels, WA State Water-Sewer Districts (pro).