SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 5300

                As Passed Senate, March 5, 1999

Title:  An act relating to cities and towns.

Brief Description:  Amending and adding provisions affecting cities and towns.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on State & Local Government (originally sponsored by Senators Patterson, Horn, Haugen, Gardner and Honeyford).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/8/99, 2/15/99 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/5/99, 46-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5300 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Karen Kirkpatrick (786-7403)

Background:  From time to time, the Association of Washington Cities (AWC), at the request of the Municipal Research Council, drafts legislation to clarify provisions of state law and provide consistency between statutes.

Summary of Bill:  City elected officials are added to the list of officials for whom the cost of a medical plan is not considered additional compensation.  Such a policy for elected city officials must be adopted at an open meeting, included on the council agenda, and included as a line item in the city budget.

References to the AWC are replaced by Municipal Research Council or its designee for purposes of filing final city or town budgets.

Requirements for calling a special meeting in a second class city or code city are amended to conform to the Open Public Meetings Act, providing that a majority of members may call a meeting.

References to "qualified electors" in sections relating to referendum petitions for annexations of unincorporated islands and the petition method of annexations are replaced by references to "qualified registered voters."

The period designated for appealing board of adjustment actions in code cities is amended to 21 days.

Reductions in city limits and disincorporations are exempt from SEPA requirements.

The State Treasurer is authorized to make a one-time distribution to counties and cities of accumulated interest in the local leasehold excise tax account and bimonthly distributions of interest in the future based on the proportion of tax collected on behalf of each county or city.

Requirements related to standardization of recorded documents are revised to allow reduction of certain illustrative exhibits if labeled "reduced for recording."

A city or town is authorized to increase its indebtedness by up to 2 1/2 percent of the value of taxable property in the city or town for the purpose of acquiring or developing capital facilities associated with economic development.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This is a housekeeping bill.  The Association of Washington Cities has been asked to keep track of requests from cities and recommend changes accordingly.  It is easier for a city to do its job if the laws are understandable.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Rosenbloom, AWC (pro).