BILL REQ. #:  H-0963.2 

Read first time 01/24/2007.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to redistricting for nested legislative districts; and amending RCW 44.05.090 and 79A.05.510.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 44.05.090 and 1990 c 126 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     In the redistricting plan:
     (1) Districts shall have a population as nearly equal as is practicable, excluding nonresident military personnel, based on the population reported in the federal decennial census.
     (2) To the extent consistent with subsection (1) of this section the commission plan should, insofar as practical, accomplish the following:
     (a) District lines should be drawn so as to coincide with the boundaries of local political subdivisions and areas recognized as communities of interest. The number of counties and municipalities divided among more than one district should be as small as possible;
     (b) Districts should be composed of convenient, contiguous, and compact territory. Land areas may be deemed contiguous if they share a common land border or are connected by a ferry, highway, bridge, or tunnel. Areas separated by geographical boundaries or artificial barriers that prevent transportation within a district should not be deemed contiguous; and
     (c) Whenever practicable, a precinct shall be wholly within a single legislative district.
     (3) The commission's plan and any plan adopted by the supreme court under RCW 44.05.100(4) shall provide for ((forty-nine legislative)) thirty-three senate districts. The plan shall further provide for three house districts within each of the senate districts so that each house district shall comprise as nearly as possible one-third of the population of the senate district, for a total of ninety-nine house districts.
     (4) The house of representatives shall consist of ((ninety-eight)) ninety-nine members, ((two)) one of whom shall be elected from ((and run at large within)) each ((legislative)) house district. The senate shall consist of ((forty-nine)) thirty-three members, one of whom shall be elected from each ((legislative)) senate district.
     (5) The commission shall exercise its powers to provide fair and effective representation and to encourage electoral competition. The commission's plan shall not be drawn purposely to favor or discriminate against any political party or group.

Sec. 2   RCW 79A.05.510 and 1975 c 7 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Composition of the corps shall consist of youths who are citizens of the United States and residents of the state of Washington of good character and health, and who are not more than twenty-one years of age. In order to enroll, an individual must agree to comply with rules and regulations promulgated by the commission. The period of enrollment shall be for thirty, sixty or ninety days or for such shorter period as determined by the commission. If permitted by the commission an individual may reenroll. Enrollment shall basically be allocated on a percentage basis to each ((of the forty-nine)) legislative district((s)) on the basis of the ratio that the population of each district bears to the total population of the state of Washington, but the commission may also take into account problems of substantial unemployment in certain areas.