Brief Description: Regarding election dates for educational service district board members.

Sponsors: By Representatives Fromhold, Priest, P. Sullivan, Quall, Kenney and Moeller; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

House Committee on Education
Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

Prior to 2006, the State Board of Education's (SBE) statutory duties included conducting Educational Service District (ESD) elections. Elections of the ESD board members were held every odd-numbered year in the ESDs in which a board member's term expired the following January. The ESD board members hold four-year terms and are elected on a rotating cycle.

In 2006 the Legislature transferred certain duties from the SBE to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI). This included giving the SPI the responsibility to conduct elections for the ESD board members. The SPI is directed to call an election by August 25 of every even-numbered year in each ESD with a member of the board whose term of office expires the following January.

Summary:

The date of elections for Educational Service Districts with one or more members whose terms expire the following January is changed from each even-numbered year to each odd-numbered year.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   95   0
Senate   48   0

Effective: July 22, 2007