S-1726               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5297

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators DeJarnatt and McCaslin)

Read first time 2/9/89.

AN ACT Relating to the use of secret ballots at meetings required to be open to the public; and amending RCW 42.30.060.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 6, chapter 250, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. and RCW 42.30.060 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No governing body of a public agency shall adopt any ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, order, or directive, except in a meeting open to the public and then only at a meeting, the date of which is fixed by law or rule, or at a meeting of which notice has been given according to the provisions of this chapter.  Any action taken at meetings failing to comply with the provisions of this ((section)) subsection shall be null and void.

(2) No governing body of a public agency at any meeting required to be open to the public shall vote by secret ballot.  Any vote taken in violation of this subsection shall be null and void, and shall be considered an "action" under this chapter.