HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5887

BYSenators DeJarnatt and Smith

Allowing boards of county commissioners to appoint representatives to air pollution control authorities.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; D. Sommers, Ranking Republican Member; Brekke, G. Fisher, Fraser, Phillips, Pruitt, Sprenkle, Van Luven and Walker.

House Staff:Rick Anderson (786-7114)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 11, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The State Clean Air Act, RCW 70.94, gives specific responsibilities to regional air pollution control boards to protect air quality within its political jurisdictions.  A board of directors, representing local government entities, is the governing body.

Current law requires county commissioners to serve on the board; city officials have express authority to appoint a representative.

An Attorney General's informal opinion states that the practice of some counties to appoint a full-time alternate for an appointed county commissioner to attend the air board meetings may not be legal.

SUMMARY:

County commissioners are authorized to appoint a representative to serve on the board of directors.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Van Youngquist, Cowlitz County Commissioner; Dick Serdoz, South West Air Pollution Control Authority; Randy Scott, Washington State Association of Counties.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    County Commissioners need the flexibility to appoint full-time alternates to the board due to time constraints and the technical nature of the subject.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.