BILL REQ. #:  H-1483.4 



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HOUSE BILL 2150
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State of Washington60th Legislature2007 Regular Session

By Representatives Rodne, B. Sullivan, Appleton and Sommers

Read first time 02/09/2007.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.



     AN ACT Relating to the appointment of judges; amending RCW 2.04.071, 2.04.100, 2.06.022, 2.06.024, 2.06.075, 2.12.010, 29A.24.010, 29A.24.181, 29A.24.191, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.121, 29A.36.121, 29A.36.171, and 29A.52.231; adding a new section to chapter 2.06 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 2 RCW; creating a new section; and providing a contingent effective date.

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

PART 1
JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 101   JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION--MEMBERSHIP--TERMS--POWERS AND DUTIES. (1) The judicial nominating commission is created to nominate persons for appointment to the Washington state supreme court and the state court of appeals.
     (2) The judicial nominating commission shall consist of eleven members. Four lawyer members shall be selected by the Washington state bar association. Three nonlawyer members shall be appointed by the governor. One member from each major caucus of the senate shall be selected by the president of the senate. One member from each major caucus of the house of representatives shall be selected by the speaker of the house of representatives.
     (3) Appointments to the commission shall be made with due consideration to geographic representation and without regard to political affiliation. All appointing authorities shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the commission substantially reflects gender, ethnic, and racial diversity.
     (4) Except for initial members of the commission, members shall serve five-year terms. The terms of initial members shall be staggered.
     (5) No member may serve for more than two full terms.
     (6) Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term in like manner.
     (7)(a) Members of the judicial nominating commission shall be reimbursed for all expenses incurred in the carrying out of their official duties. Additional compensation may be prescribed by law.
     (b) The administrative office of the courts shall make staff, equipment, and materials available to assist the commission in carrying out its official duties.
     (8) The commission may adopt rules and procedures that aid in its selection of the most qualified nominees for judicial office.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 102   COMMISSION MEMBERS--CANDIDACY--SELECTION. Any individual wishing to serve on the judicial nominating commission may declare his or her candidacy as provided in this subsection.
     (1) Any person may be considered for an attorney position by declaring in his or her candidacy in writing to the Washington state bar association, if the person has been a resident of this state for three years and is licensed to practice law in this state.
     (2) Any person may be considered for a lay position by declaring his or her candidacy in writing to the governor's office in Olympia, Washington, if the person has been a resident of this state for three years.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 103   CHAIR--MEETINGS--QUORUM. (1) The commission shall choose one of its members as chair and establish the chair's term. The chair shall preside at all meetings. When the chair is absent, the commission shall choose a member to act as temporary chair.
     (2)(a) All organizational meetings of the commission are subject to the open public meetings act, chapter 42.30 RCW. As used in this chapter, "organizational meeting" means an initial meeting to discuss the commission's procedures and requirements for the vacancy.
     (b) All final deliberations of the commission shall be secret and confidential.
     (c) The confidentiality of other proceedings of the judicial nominating commission shall be determined by commission rule.
     (3) Six members of the commission constitute a quorum. The commission may not take any action without a quorum.

PART 2
JUDICIAL SELECTION AND RETENTION

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 201   JUDICIAL VACANCIES--NOMINATION AND APPOINTMENT--TERMS. (1) Within sixty days of the occurrence of a vacancy on the supreme court or on the court of appeals, the commission shall meet and submit to the governor a list of names of no more than five nor less than three persons qualified for the judicial office.
     (2) When a judicial vacancy occurs or when it is known that a vacancy will occur on a definite date, the chair of the commission shall publicize the vacancy and solicit the submission of names of qualified individuals by press release to the media.
     (3)(a) The names of nominees shall be submitted to the governor in alphabetical order.
     (b) A confidential memorandum may accompany the list of nominees and may state facts concerning each of the nominees listed.
     (c) Upon submission of the names to the governor, the governor shall make the names public and public comment should be encouraged.
     (4) Within thirty days after receiving the list of nominees for supreme court justice or judge of the court of appeals, the governor shall appoint one of the nominees.
     (5) If the governor does not appoint one of the nominees to fill the vacancy within thirty days after their names are submitted to the governor by the commission, the commission shall appoint on the basis of merit alone without regard to political affiliation one of the nominees to fill the vacancy.
     (6) If the commission does not, within sixty days after a vacancy occurs, submit the names of nominees as provided in this section, the governor may appoint any qualified person to fill the vacancy at any time thereafter before the time the names of the nominees to fill the vacancy are submitted to the governor.
     (7) A justice or judge appointed under this section shall remain in office for the balance of the term for which the justice or judge is appointed, which shall be the remainder of the unexpired term of the predecessor, or if appointed for a new term, for the full six-year term.
     (8) The names of each justice and judge appointed under this section shall appear on the general election ballot, at which time the justice or judge shall be subject to a vote on whether he or she will be retained in his or her position.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 202   All supreme court justices and judges of the court of appeals who are holding office as such by election or appointment on the effective date of this section shall serve or continue in office for the respective terms for which they were elected or for their respective unexpired terms, and until their successors are appointed and qualify.

Sec. 203   RCW 2.04.071 and 1971 c 81 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     ((At the next general election, and at each biennial general election thereafter, there shall be elected three)) Justices of the supreme court((, to)) shall hold office for ((the full)) terms of six years((, and until their successors are elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding their election)). At the next general election following completion of each full or partial term of office for any justice seeking to retain his or her position on the state supreme court, the statewide ballot shall include the question:

"Shall ... be retained as a justice of the supreme court of the state of Washington for six years?"

Sec. 204   RCW 2.04.100 and 1971 c 81 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a vacancy occurs in the office of a justice of the supreme court, the governor shall appoint a person to hold the office ((until the election and qualification of a justice to fill the vacancy, which election shall take place at the next succeeding general election)) in accordance with section 201 of this act, and the justice so ((elected)) appointed shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Sec. 205   RCW 2.06.022 and 1989 c 328 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     The new judicial position for the first division, district 2, Snohomish county created pursuant to the 1989 amendment to RCW 2.06.020 shall become effective January 1, 1990, and shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment.
     The person appointed by the governor shall hold office until the general election to be held in November 1990. At the general election, the judge appointed shall be entitled to run for a term of six years or until the second Monday in January 1997, and until a successor is elected and qualified. ((Thereafter)) For vacancies occurring before the effective date of this section, the judge shall be elected for a term of six years and until a successor is elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding the election. Beginning on the effective date of this section, the judge shall be appointed in accordance with section 201 of this act.

Sec. 206   RCW 2.06.024 and 1999 c 75 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The new judicial position for the second division, district 1, Pierce county, created pursuant to the 1999 amendment to RCW 2.06.020 shall become effective July 1, 2000, and shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment.
     The person appointed by the governor shall hold office until the general election to be held in November 2000. At the general election, the judge appointed shall be entitled to run for a term of six years or until the second Monday in January 2007, and until a successor is elected and qualified. ((Thereafter)) For vacancies occurring before the effective date of this section, the judge shall be elected for a term of six years and until a successor is elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding the election. Beginning on the effective date of this section, the judge shall be appointed accordance with section 201 of this act.

Sec. 207   RCW 2.06.075 and 1977 ex.s. c 49 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     The new judicial positions created pursuant to section 1, chapter 49, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. shall become effective January 1, 1978, and shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment as follows:
     (1) Two shall be appointed to the first division, District 1, King county;
     (2) One shall be appointed to the second division, District 1, Pierce county; and
     (3) One shall be appointed to the third division, District 1, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens counties.
     The persons appointed by the governor shall hold office until the general election to be held in November 1978. Upon taking office the two newly appointed judges in Division 1 shall determine by lot the length of term they will be entitled to run for in the general election of 1977. One term will be for one year or until the second Monday in January 1980, and the other for three years or until the second Monday in January 1982, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Thereafter judges shall be elected for a term of six years and until their successors are elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding their election. At the general election to be held in November 1978, the judges appointed in Division 2 and Division 3 shall be entitled to run for a term of six years or until the second Monday in January 1985, and until their successors are elected and qualified. ((Thereafter)) For vacancies occurring before the effective date of this section, judges shall be elected for a term of six years and until their successors are elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding their election. Beginning on the effective date of this section, judges shall be appointed in accordance with section 201 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 208   A new section is added to chapter 2.06 RCW to read as follows:
     At the next general election following completion of each full or partial term of office for any judge of the court of appeals seeking to retain his or her position on the state court of appeals, the ballot to be voted on by the voters in the district served by the judge shall include the question:

"Shall ... be retained as a judge of the court of appeals of the state of Washington for six years?"

Sec. 209   RCW 2.12.010 and 1982 1st ex.s. c 52 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any judge of the supreme court, court of appeals, or superior court of the state of Washington who heretofore and/or hereafter shall have served as a judge of any such courts for eighteen years in the aggregate or who shall have served ten years in the aggregate and shall have attained the age of seventy years or more may, during or at the expiration of his term of office, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, be retired and receive the retirement pay herein provided for. In computing such term of service, there shall be counted the time spent by such judge in active service in the armed forces of the United States of America, under leave of absence from his judicial duties as provided for under chapter 201, Laws of 1941: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That in computing such credit for such service in the armed forces of the United States of America no allowance shall be made for service beyond the date of the expiration of the term for which such judge was elected or appointed. Any judge desiring to retire under the provisions of this section shall file with the director of retirement systems, a notice in duplicate in writing, verified by his affidavit, fixing a date when he desires his retirement to commence, one copy of which the director shall forthwith file with the administrator for the courts. The notice shall state his name, the court or courts of which he has served as judge, the period of service thereon and the dates of such service.

Sec. 210   RCW 29A.24.010 and 2003 c 111 s 601 are each amended to read as follows:
     Not less than thirty days before the first day for filing declarations of candidacy under RCW 29A.24.050 for legislative, judicial, county, city, town, or district office, where more than one position with the same name, district number, or title will be voted upon at the succeeding election, the filing officer shall designate the positions to be filled by number.
     The positions so designated shall be dealt with as separate offices for all election purposes. ((With the exception of the office of justice of the supreme court, the)) Position numbers shall be assigned, whenever possible, to reflect the position numbers that were used to designate the same positions at the last full-term election for those offices.

Sec. 211   RCW 29A.24.181 and 2006 c 344 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     Filings for a nonpartisan office (other than ((judge of the supreme court or)) superintendent of public instruction) shall be reopened for a period of three normal business days, such three-day period to be fixed by the election officer with whom such declarations of candidacy are filed and notice thereof given by notifying press, radio, and television in the county and by such other means as may now or hereafter be provided by law, when:
     (1) A void in candidacy for such nonpartisan office occurs on or after the eleventh Tuesday prior to a primary but prior to the eleventh Tuesday before an election; or
     (2) A nominee for judge of the superior court eligible after a contested primary for a certificate of election by Article 4, section 29, Amendment 41 of the state Constitution, dies or is disqualified within the ten-day period immediately following the last day allotted for a candidate to withdraw; or
     (3) A vacancy occurs in any nonpartisan office on or after the eleventh Tuesday prior to a primary but prior to the eleventh Tuesday before an election leaving an unexpired term to be filled by an election for which filings have not been held.
     The candidate receiving a plurality of the votes cast for that office in the general election shall be deemed elected.

Sec. 212   RCW 29A.24.191 and 2006 c 344 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     A scheduled election shall be lapsed, the office deemed stricken from the ballot, no purported write-in votes counted, and no candidate certified as elected, when:
     (1) In an election for ((judge of the supreme court or)) superintendent of public instruction, a void in candidacy occurs on or after the eleventh Tuesday prior to a primary, public filings and the primary being an indispensable phase of the election process for such offices;
     (2) Except as otherwise specified in RCW 29A.24.181, a nominee for judge of the superior court entitled to a certificate of election pursuant to Article 4, section 29, Amendment 41 of the state Constitution dies or is disqualified on or after the eleventh Tuesday prior to a primary;
     (3) In other elections for nonpartisan office a void in candidacy occurs or a vacancy occurs involving an unexpired term to be filled on or after the eleventh Tuesday prior to an election.

Sec. 213   RCW 29A.32.031 and 2004 c 271 s 121 are each amended to read as follows:
     The voters' pamphlet must contain:
     (1) Information about each ballot measure initiated by or referred to the voters for their approval or rejection as required by RCW 29A.32.070;
     (2) In even-numbered years, statements, if submitted, advocating the candidacies of nominees for the office of president and vice president of the United States, United States senator, United States representative, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, commissioner of public lands, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner, state senator, state representative, ((justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals,)) or judge of the superior court. Candidates may also submit a campaign mailing address and telephone number and a photograph not more than five years old and of a size and quality that the secretary of state determines to be suitable for reproduction in the voters' pamphlet;
     (3) In odd-numbered years, if any office voted upon statewide appears on the ballot due to a vacancy, then statements and photographs for candidates for any vacant office listed in subsection (2) of this section must appear;
     (4) In even-numbered years, a section explaining how voters may participate in the election campaign process; the address and telephone number of the public disclosure commission established under RCW 42.17.350; and a summary of the disclosure requirements that apply when contributions are made to candidates and political committees;
     (5) In even-numbered years the name, address, and telephone number of each political party with nominees listed in the pamphlet, if filed with the secretary of state by the state committee of a major political party or the presiding officer of the convention of a minor political party;
     (6) In each odd-numbered year immediately before a year in which a president of the United States is to be nominated and elected, information explaining the precinct caucus and convention process used by each major political party to elect delegates to its national presidential candidate nominating convention. The pamphlet must also provide a description of the statutory procedures by which minor political parties are formed and the statutory methods used by the parties to nominate candidates for president;
     (7) In years when there are ballot questions regarding retention of one or more justices of the supreme court or judges of the court of appeals, a statement, if submitted, advocating the retention of each such justice;
     (8)
An application form for an absentee ballot;
     (((8))) (9) A brief statement explaining the deletion and addition of language for proposed measures under RCW 29A.32.080;
     (((9))) (10) Any additional information pertaining to elections as may be required by law or in the judgment of the secretary of state is deemed informative to the voters.

Sec. 214   RCW 29A.32.121 and 2004 c 271 s 168 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The maximum number of words for statements submitted by candidates is as follows: State representative, one hundred words; state senator, judge of the superior court, ((judge of the court of appeals, justice of the supreme court,)) and all state offices voted upon throughout the state, except that of governor, two hundred words; president and vice president, United States senator, United States representative, and governor, three hundred words.
     (2) The maximum number of words for statements to retain a justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals is two hundred words.
     (3)
Arguments written by committees under RCW 29A.32.060 may not exceed two hundred fifty words in length.
     (((3))) (4) Rebuttal arguments written by committees may not exceed seventy-five words in length.
     (((4))) (5) The secretary of state shall allocate space in the pamphlet based on the number of candidates or nominees for each office.

Sec. 215   RCW 29A.36.121 and 2004 c 271 s 129 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) The positions or offices on a primary consolidated ballot shall be arranged in substantially the following order: United States senator; United States representative; governor; lieutenant governor; secretary of state; state treasurer; state auditor; attorney general; commissioner of public lands; superintendent of public instruction; insurance commissioner; state senator; state representative; county officers; ((justices of the supreme court; judges of the court of appeals;)) judges of the superior court; and judges of the district court. For all other jurisdictions on the primary consolidated ballot, the offices in each jurisdiction shall be grouped together and be in the order of the position numbers assigned to those offices, if any.
     (b)(i) The positions or offices on a primary party ballot must be arranged in substantially the following order: United States senator; United States representative; governor; lieutenant governor; secretary of state; state treasurer; state auditor; attorney general; commissioner of public lands; insurance commissioner; state senator; state representative; and partisan county officers. For all other jurisdictions on the primary party ballot, the offices in each jurisdiction must be grouped together and be in the order of the position numbers assigned to those offices, if any.
     (ii) The positions or offices on a primary nonpartisan ballot must be arranged in substantially the following order: Superintendent of public instruction; ((justices of the supreme court; judges of the court of appeals;)) judges of the superior court; and judges of the district court. For all other jurisdictions on the primary nonpartisan ballot, the offices in each jurisdiction must be grouped together and be in the order of the position numbers assigned to those offices, if any.
     (2) The order of the positions or offices on an election ballot shall be substantially the same as on a primary consolidated ballot except that state ballot issues must be placed before all offices, except that questions of whether to retain justices of the supreme court shall appear immediately before judges of the superior court and judges of the court of appeals shall appear immediately after justices of the supreme court. The offices of president and vice president of the United States shall precede all other offices on a presidential election ballot. The positions on a ballot to be assigned to ballot measures regarding local units of government shall be established by the secretary of state by rule.
     (3) The political party or independent candidacy of each candidate for partisan office shall be indicated next to the name of the candidate on the primary and election ballot. A candidate shall file a written notice with the filing officer within three business days after the close of the filing period designating the political party to be indicated next to the candidate's name on the ballot if either: (a) The candidate has been nominated by two or more minor political parties or independent conventions; or (b) the candidate has both filed a declaration of candidacy declaring an affiliation with a major political party and been nominated by a minor political party or independent convention. If no written notice is filed the filing officer shall give effect to the party designation shown upon the first document filed. A candidate may be deemed nominated by a minor party or independent convention only if all documentation required by chapter 29A.20 RCW has been timely filed.

Sec. 216   RCW 29A.36.171 and 2004 c 271 s 170 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in RCW 29A.36.180 and in subsection (2) of this section, on the ballot at the general election for a nonpartisan office for which a primary was held, only the names of the candidate who received the greatest number of votes and the candidate who received the next greatest number of votes for that office shall appear under the title of that office, and the names shall appear in that order. If a primary was conducted, no candidate's name may be printed on the subsequent general election ballot unless he or she receives at least one percent of the total votes cast for that office at the preceding primary. On the ballot at the general election for any other nonpartisan office for which no primary was held, the names of the candidates shall be listed in the order determined under RCW 29A.36.131.
     (2) On the ballot at the general election for the office of ((justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals,)) judge of the superior court, judge of the district court, or state superintendent of public instruction, if a candidate in a contested primary receives a majority of all the votes cast for that office or position, only the name of that candidate may be printed under the title of the office for that position.

Sec. 217   RCW 29A.52.231 and 2004 c 271 s 174 are each amended to read as follows:
     The offices of superintendent of public instruction, ((justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals,)) judge of the superior court, and judge of the district court shall be nonpartisan and the candidates therefor shall be nominated and elected as such.
     All city, town, and special purpose district elective offices shall be nonpartisan and the candidates therefor shall be nominated and elected as such.

PART 3
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 301   Captions and part headings used in this act are not any part of the law.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 302   Sections 101 through 103, 201, and 202 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 2 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 303   This act takes effect if the proposed amendment to Article IV, section 3 of the state Constitution providing for the appointment of judges of the supreme court and the court of appeals is validly submitted to and is approved and ratified by the voters at the next general election. If the proposed amendment is not approved and ratified, this act is void in its entirety.

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