HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5052

                       As Passed House

                        April 8, 1993

Title:  An act relating to cities and towns.

Brief Description:  Removing the requirement that city and town council meetings be held within the corporate limits.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators A. Smith, Haugen and Quigley).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 23, 1993, DPA;

Passed House - Amended, April 8, 1993, 90-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Bray, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; R. Fisher; Rayburn; Romero; Springer; Van Luven; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  All council meetings of a third class city, code city, and town must be held within the corporate limits of the city or town at those places as may be designated by ordinance.  City or town councils occasionally need to meet with a neighboring city or the county on issues of mutual interest.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement that council meetings of a third class city, code city, and town be held within the corporate limits of the city or town is deleted.  All final actions on resolutions and ordinances must take place within the corporate limits of the city or town.

Notice requirements for special meetings by third class cities and towns are made consistent with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act.  Restrictive language on when the oath of office must be taken is deleted.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  City and town councils occasionally need to meet with a neighboring city or the county council on mutual issues, e.g., growth management policies.  City or county councilmembers are precluded from coming to Olympia as a group to even meet with their state representative.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities.