HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1455

BYRepresentatives Appelwick, Patrick, Heavey and Brough

Authorizing local elections in single district courts with multiple courtrooms.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Brough, Dellwo, Hargrove, Inslee, Locke, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Patrick, Schmidt, Scott, D. Sommers and Tate.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

District courts are organized by districts that are established in each county by resolution of the county legislative authority upon recommendation of a district court districting committee.  The committee consists of a superior court judge, a district court judge, the county prosecutor, the county auditor, a practicing lawyer selected by the bar association, an official from each city in the county, and the chair of the county legislative authority.

Each county may be organized into one or more district court districts.  The districting committee may recommend changes in the number or boundaries of districts at any time.

Judges of the district courts are elected at large from the each district.  Some district court districts may have more than one courtroom location.  In the process of consolidating district court districts within a county, a new district may also be created that has more than one courtroom location.

The minimum number of district court judges in King County is set by statute at 20.  That number may be increased by the county legislative authority.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  If a district court district has more than one courtroom location, the county legislative authority may establish separate district court election subdistricts around each courtroom location.  The subdistrict boundaries are to follow precinct, neighborhood, and community boundaries as nearly as possible, and are to contain approximately equal populations.

The minimum number of district court judges in King County is raised from 20 to 24.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The substitute raises the minimum number of judges in King County and makes some clarifying amendments.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ron Main, Steve Miller; King County

House Committee - Testified Against:      Robert McBeth, Renton District Court; Darrel Phillipson, Auburn District Court.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill will allow for preservation of locally elected judges when districts are consolidated.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      The original bill would have allowed the elimination of some existing positions.