Z-0695.1                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5626

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators A. Smith, West, Moyer, Talmadge and Winsley; by request of Administrator for the Courts

Read first time 02/05/93.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Adding new judges to the court of appeals.

          AN ACT Relating to adding new judges to the court of appeals; amending RCW 2.06.020; adding a new section to chapter 2.06 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

        Sec. 1.  RCW 2.06.020 and 1989 c 328 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

          The court shall have three divisions, one of which shall be headquartered in Seattle, one of which shall be headquartered in Spokane, and one of which shall be headquartered in Tacoma:

          (1) The first division shall have ((nine)) twelve judges by July 1, 1996, from three districts, as follows:

          (a) District 1 shall consist of King county and shall have six judges until December 31, 1993, and eight judges as of January 1, 1994;

          (b) District 2 shall consist of Snohomish county and shall have two judges; and

          (c) District 3 shall consist of Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties and shall have one judge until June 30, 1996, and two judges as of July 1, 1996.

          (2) The second division shall have ((four)) six judges by July 1, 1993, from the following districts:

          (a) District 1 shall consist of Pierce county and shall have two judges;

          (b) District 2 shall consist of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston counties and shall have one judge until June 30, 1993, and two judges as of July 1, 1993;

          (c) District 3 shall consist of Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties and shall have one judge until June 30, 1993, and two judges as of July 1, 1993.

          (3) The third division shall have ((four)) five judges by July 1, 1994, from the following districts:

          (a) District 1 shall consist of Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties and shall have two judges;

          (b) District 2 shall consist of Adams, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties and shall have one judge;

          (c) District 3 shall consist of Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima counties and shall have one judge until June 30, 1994, and two judges as of July 1, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 2.06 RCW to read as follows:

          The new judicial positions created under section 1, chapter ..., Laws of 1993 (section 1 of this act) become effective as follows:

          (1) In the first division, two positions in district 1 become effective on January 1, 1994, and one position in district 3 becomes effective on July 1, 1996.  The positions shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment and the persons appointed shall hold office until the general election to be held in November following appointment.  At the general election, judges appointed are entitled to run for a term of six years and until a successor is elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding the election;

          (2) In the second division, two positions become effective July 1, 1993, one in district 2 and one in district 3.  The positions shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment and the persons appointed shall hold office until the general election to be held in November 1993.  The person appointed to the position in district 2 is entitled to run for a term of one year or until the second Monday in January 1995.  The person appointed to the position in district 3 is entitled to run for a term of five years or until the second Monday in January 1999.  After completion of their first term, the judges in both positions shall be elected for a term of six years and until a successor is elected and qualified, commencing with the second Monday in January succeeding the election; and

          (3) In the third division, one position becomes effective July 1, 1994, in district 3.  The position shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment.  The person appointed by the governor shall hold office until the general election to be held in November, 1994, and is entitled to run for a term of six years or until the second Monday in January succeeding the election.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

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