SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6356
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. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Governmental Operations, February 6, 2014
Title: An act relating to naming the chair and vice chair of state and county political committees.
Brief Description: Naming the chair and vice chair of state and county political committees.
Sponsors: Senator Angel.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Governmental Operations: 2/03/14, 2/06/14 [DPS, w/oRec].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS |
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6356 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Benton, Vice Chair; Dansel and Rivers.
Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.
Signed by Senators Conway and McCoy.
Staff: Samuel Brown (786-7470)
Background: There are several regulations on the activities and structure of the state and county central committees of major political parties. A major political party is a party whose nominees for president and vice president received at least 5 percent of the votes at the last election.
State committees consist of one committeeman and one committeewoman from each county elected by the county central committee, and must elect a chair and vice chair of opposite sexes. State committees must meet during January of each odd-numbered year for organizational purposes. State committees may:
call conventions for purposes that the committee designates;
elect delegates to national conventions;
nominate presidential electors; and
perform any other necessary functions.
County central committees must hold an organizational meeting no later than the second Saturday in January each odd-numbered year for the purposes of electing a chair and vice chair. The chair and vice chair must be of opposite sexes.
Summary of Bill: The bill as referred to committee not considered.
Summary of Bill (Recommended Substitute): The chair and vice chair of the state major political party committee and each county major political party central committee are not required to be of opposite sexes.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Times have changed, and this would make everything gender-neutral. It allows the choice of that jurisdiction for those positions. In some cases, people want to run for these positions but cannot, and often the parties cannot find a person of the other gender for those positions. If we do not impose these quotas for elected officials, we certainly do not need them for political parties. The substitute is a vast improvement over current law, which imposes an archaic and problematic restraint.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Angel, prime sponsor; Tom Jamieson, King County Republican Party.