BILL REQ. #:  S-0311.1 

Read first time 01/12/09.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to hearing examiner fees; and amending RCW 58.17.330.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 58.17.330 and 1995 c 347 s 429 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) As an alternative to those provisions of this chapter requiring a planning commission to hear and issue recommendations for plat approval, the county or city legislative body may adopt a hearing examiner system and shall specify by ordinance the legal effect of the decisions made by the examiner. The legal effect of such decisions shall include one of the following:
     (a) The decision may be given the effect of a recommendation to the legislative body;
     (b) The decision may be given the effect of an administrative decision appealable within a specified time limit to the legislative body; or
     (c) The decision may be given the effect of a final decision of the legislative body.
     The legislative authority shall prescribe procedures to be followed by a hearing examiner.
     (2) Each final decision of a hearing examiner shall be in writing and shall include findings and conclusions, based on the record, to support the decision. Each final decision of a hearing examiner, unless a longer period is mutually agreed to by the applicant and the hearing examiner, shall be rendered within ten working days following conclusion of all testimony and hearings.
     (3) Hearing examiner fees may not exceed the actual cost of administration. The county or city legislative body authorized under subsection (1) of this section shall provide the appellant with a full accounting of the actual costs incurred.