"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Any county performing the public transportation function as authorized by RCW 36.57.100 and 36.57.110 or any public transportation system that is not governed: By a metropolitan municipal corporation as authorized by RCW 35.58.270; by a county performing the public transportation function as authorized by RCW 36.57.100 and 36.57.110; by a county transportation authority under chapter 36.57 RCW; or by any public transportation benefit area established under chapter 36.57A RCW, must appoint a nonvoting member to its public transportation governing body, if applicable.
     (2)(a) If no sovereign public transportation governing body exists, a member shall be appointed to the highest ranking advisory board authorized to advise on public transportation issues.
     (b) The member appointed to the highest ranking advisory board shall have the same rights and privileges as all the members of the board including, but not limited to, voting rights, if applicable.
     (c) If no advisory board authorized to advise on public transportation issues exists as of the effective date of this section, this subsection is applicable upon the establishment of such an advisory board.
     (3) The members described under subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be recommended by the labor organization representing the majority of the public transportation employees within the local public transportation system. If there is no formal union representation of the employees, the member shall be recommended by a majority of the employees within the local public transportation system. The chair of the governing body shall exclude the member from attending any portion of a meeting of the governing body or of any committee held for the purpose of: Discussing negotiations with labor organizations; labor and management relations, including current contract negotiations; chief executive officer performance; or compensation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected."