BILL REQ. #:  S-0935.2 

Read first time 01/26/2005.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to term limits for the legislative ethics board; and amending RCW 42.52.310.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 42.52.310 and 1994 c 154 s 201 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislative ethics board is created, composed of nine members, selected as follows:
     (a) Two senators, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by the president of the senate;
     (b) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
     (c) Five citizen members:
     (i) One citizen member chosen by the governor from a list of three individuals submitted by each of the four legislative caucuses; and
     (ii) One citizen member selected by three of the four other citizen members of the legislative ethics board.
     (2) ((Except for initial members and members completing partial terms,)) Nonlegislative members shall serve a ((single)) five-year term and may be reappointed to an unlimited number of terms.
     (3) No more than three of the public members may be identified with the same political party.
     (4) ((Terms of initial nonlegislative board members shall be staggered as follows: One member shall be appointed to a one-year term; one member shall be appointed to a two-year term; one member shall be appointed to a three-year term; one member shall be appointed to a four-year term; and one member shall be appointed for a five-year term.
     (5))) A vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
     (((6))) (5) Legislative members shall serve two-year terms, from January 31st of an odd-numbered year until January 31st of the next odd-numbered year.
     (((7))) (6) Each member shall serve for the term of his or her appointment and until his or her successor is appointed.
     (((8))) (7) The citizen members shall annually select a chair from among themselves.