SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5168

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Title: An act relating to school board elections in certain first-class school districts.

Brief Description: Reinstating election procedures for certain first-class school districts.

Background: The laws establishing procedures for the conduct of elections in Title 29 RCW were reorganized and recodified into a new title, Title 29A RCW, in 2004. RCW 29.13.060 was inadvertently repealed during this process. That statute permits school board directors, in a county with a population of 200,000 or more and a first-class school district containing a city of the first class, to be elected for terms of six years. The school districts of Everett, Spokane, and Tacoma each permit its board of directors to serve six-year terms as authorized under the inadvertently repealed statute.

Summary of Bill: The provisions of RCW 29.13.060 are reenacted and recodified within chapter 29A.04 RCW. The act is retroactive and must be applied from July 1, 2004.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill is a technical correction to fix a small legislative error made a few years ago when the entire election laws were recodified and reorganized. Six-year terms for school board directors are referenced in quite a few statutes and board members continue to be elected based on this repealed statute. Correcting this inadvertent repeal will help to clear up any confusion that exists regarding the office terms for school board directors.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Katie Blinn, Office of the Secretary of State; Art Jarvis, Tacoma Public Schools; Dan Steele, Washington State School Directors' Association.