HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 2260

BYRepresentatives Ferguson, Haugen and Wood

Changing provisions relating to the Municipal Research Council.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Republican Member; Kirby, Horn, Nealey, Nelson, Phillips, Raiter, Rayburn, Wolfe, Wood and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Municipal Research Council is an 18 member state agency composed of four Senators (two from each of the major parties), four Representatives (two from each of the major parties), one person appointed by the Governor, and nine persons appointed by the board of directors of the Association of Washington Cities.

Legislative appropriations to the Municipal Research Council are made from a portion of the state motor vehicle excise tax receipts that are distributed to cities and towns.  At least 7 cents per capita of the population of all cities and towns is required to be transmitted to the Municipal Research Council.

Although the Municipal Research Council does not have any specified duties, the moneys provided to the Municipal Research Council from the state motor vehicle excise tax receipts must be used to contract with any state agency, educational institution, or private consulting firm, to provide a municipal research and service program.

The Municipal Research Council has contracted with the Municipal Research and Services Center, a private non-profit corporation, to provide this municipal research and service program each biennium since 1970.

SUMMARY:

The Municipal Research Council is given the responsibility to contract for the provision of municipal research and services for cities and towns, which includes: (1) studying municipal government; (2) acquiring, preparing and distributing publications; (3) providing educational conferences; and (4) furnishing legal, technical, consultive, and field services to cities and towns.  The Municipal Research Council may contract for administrative services.

It is clarified that moneys appropriated to the Municipal Research Council are deducted from state motor vehicle excise tax receipts that otherwise would be distributed to cities and towns.

The requirement is deleted that a certificate of appointment for each member of the council be filed with the Association of Washington Cities within 10 days of the appointment.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Dick Hauth, Municipal Research Council.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This is a technical, clean-up bill.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.