FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2428

                          C 20 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing spouses of officers of school districts to be under contract as a certificated or classified employee.

By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Karahalios, Foreman, Chappell, Chandler and J. Kohl).

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Background: The law prohibits school officers and other municipal officials from involvement in contracts, hiring decisions and other matters in which the official would personally benefit. 

This provision applies to most hiring decisions made by school districts.  With a number of exceptions for very small districts and for the hiring of substitutes, spouses of school district officials may not be hired as teachers or classified staff.

Recently, an individual was appointed superintendent of a school district in which his spouse was employed under contract as a teacher.  According to advice from the Attorney General's Office, renewal of the spouse's teaching contract would be in violation of state law.

Summary:  State law is modified to allow school districts to employ under contract a spouse of a school district officer if the spouse was under contract as an employee before the date in which the officer assumed office.  However, the spouse's contract must be commensurate with the applicable district pay plan or collective bargaining agreement.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  95 0

Senate 42 0

Effective:  June 9, 1994