Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Local Government & Housing Committee

SB 6691

Brief Description:  Authorizing five‑member port commissions to have five commissioner districts.

Sponsors:  Senator Spanel.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Authorizes port districts with three commissioner districts and two at large positions to expand to five commissioner districts.

Hearing Date:  2/27/02

Staff:  Scott MacColl (786‑7106).

Background:

Port district commissions are made up of either three or five commissioners.  Port districts may decide either at the time of formation or at a ballot proposition to increase the number of commissioners to five.  The districts may be made up of either five commissioner districts, or may be made up of three commissioner districts and two at large districts.

Port districts that are less than county‑wide, having a population of five hundred thousand or more, may have five commissioner districts or five commissioners but only three commissioner districts and two at large members.

Summary of Bill:

Port districts with three commissioner districts and two at‑large commissioners (five total) are authorized to expand to five commissioner districts by a vote of the district.  The vote is triggered by either a resolution of the board, or by a petition submitted to the county auditor and signed by ten percent of the number of district voters that voted in the last general election.

The new districts must be drawn within 120 days and submitted to the county auditor.  All current commissioners are assigned a district, and complete their respective terms.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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