H-1275              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 591

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Locke, Ballard, McLean, J. Williams, Cole, P. King, Schoon, Todd and May

Read first time 2/4/87 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to superior court judges; amending RCW 2.08.061 and 2.08.062; and creating a new section.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 3, chapter 125, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 1, chapter 357, Laws of 1985 and RCW 2.08.061 are each amended to read as follows:

          There shall be in the county of King no more than ((thirty-nine)) forty-six judges of the superior court; in the county of Spokane  ten judges of the superior court; and in the county of Pierce fifteen judges of the superior court.

        Sec. 2.  Section 4, chapter 125, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 2, chapter 357, Laws of 1985 and RCW 2.08.062 are each amended to read as follows:

          There shall be in the counties of Chelan and Douglas jointly, ((two)) three judges of the superior court; in the county of Clark six judges of the superior court; in the county of Grays Harbor two judges of the superior court; in the county of Kitsap five judges of the superior court; in the county of Kittitas one judge of the superior court; in the county of Lewis two judges of the superior court.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 1988.  The additional judicial positions created by sections 1 and 2 of this act in King county and Chelan and Douglas counties shall be effective only if, prior to January 1, 1988, each county through its duly constituted legislative authority documents its approval of the additional positions and its agreement that it will pay out of county funds, without reimbursement from the state, the expenses of such additional judicial positions as provided by statute.  The additional expenses include, but are not limited to, expenses incurred for court facilities.