BILL REQ. #:  S-3574.2 

Read first time 01/21/14.   Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

     AN ACT Relating to public disclosure commission membership; and amending RCW 42.17A.100.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 42.17A.100 and 2010 c 204 s 301 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The public disclosure commission is established. Effective July 31, 2014, the terms of all existing commission members shall be terminated. Beginning August 1, 2014, the commission shall be composed of five members appointed ((by the governor, with the consent of the senate)) as provided in this subsection.
     (a) Each legislative leader of the two largest political parties in each house of the legislature shall appoint one voting member to the commission by September 1, 2014.
     (b) No later than January 1, 2015, the four appointed members, by an affirmative vote of at least three, shall appoint the fifth member, who shall act as the commission's chair. If by January 1, 2015, three of the four voting members fail to elect a chair, the chair position must rotate among the appointed members annually, in the order of their appointment and concluding when a fifth member is agreed upon as provided in this subsection.
     (c) A vacancy in a position appointed under (a) of this subsection shall be filled by the person who made the initial appointment, or that person's successor, within three months after the vacancy occurs. A vacancy of the chair elected under (b) of this subsection shall be filled by an affirmative vote of at least three of the appointed members. If, within three months of a vacancy in the position of chair, three of the four voting members fail to elect a chair, the chair position must rotate among the appointed members annually, in the order of their appointment and concluding when a fifth member is agreed upon as provided in this subsection.
     (d) All appointees shall be persons of the highest integrity and qualifications.
     (e) No more than three members shall have an identification with the same political party.
     (2) The term of each member shall be ((five)) four years. ((No member is eligible for appointment to more than one full term.)) The appointment of any member for additional terms shall be at the discretion of the person who made the initial appointment or the person's successor. Any member may be removed by the governor, but only upon grounds of neglect of duty or misconduct in office.
     (3) During his or her tenure, a member of the commission is prohibited from engaging in any of the following activities, either within or outside the state of Washington:
     (a) Holding or campaigning for elective office;
     (b) Serving as an officer of any political party or political committee;
     (c) Permitting his or her name to be used in support of or in opposition to a candidate or proposition;
     (d) Soliciting or making contributions to a candidate or in support of or in opposition to any candidate or proposition;
     (e) Participating in any way in any election campaign; or
     (f) Lobbying, employing, or assisting a lobbyist, except that a member or the staff of the commission may lobby to the limited extent permitted by RCW 42.17A.635 on matters directly affecting this chapter.
     (4) ((A vacancy on the commission shall be filled within thirty days of the vacancy by the governor, with the consent of the senate, and the appointee shall serve for the remaining term of his or her predecessor. A vacancy shall not impair the powers of the remaining members to exercise all of the powers of the commission.
     (5))) Three members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission shall ((elect its own chair and)) adopt its own rules of procedure in the manner provided in chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (((6))) (5) Members shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.250 and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while engaged in the business of the commission as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. The compensation provided pursuant to this section shall not be considered salary for purposes of the provisions of any retirement system created under the laws of this state.