SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5238

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

State & Local Government, February 1, 2001

Title:  An act relating to the board of commissioners of a water‑sewer district.

Brief Description:  Modifying the board of commissioners of a water‑sewer district.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson, Johnson, McCaslin, Haugen and Fairley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/25/01, 2/1/01 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5238 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Aaron Jennings (786‑7445)

Background:  A sewer district with a three-member board may expand from three to five members  in two ways: by submitting a proposition to the voters; or if the sewer district has more than 10,000 customers, by a resolution passed by the board.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  In a sewer district of more than 25,000 customers, the sewer district board may expand from five members to seven members.  The sewer district board may increase its membership either through a simple resolution by the majority of the commissioners or the board may submit the resolution to increase the membership to the county auditor to be voted on at a special election and will pass with a majority vote.

Sewer districts board membership may be decreased from seven to five members or five to three members.  If the board passes a resolution to decrease its membership, it must submit the resolution to the county auditor to be voted on at a special election.  The decrease in membership requires a majority vote to pass the election.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill allows for a sewer district with 25,000 customers to increase the sewer district board membership from three or five members to seven members.  The increase in membership must occur if the board passes a resolution to increase its membership.  The substitute bill allows a sewer district with 25,000 customers to increase the size of a five‑member sewer district board to seven members.  The increase in membership may occur either by a resolution passed by the board, or the board may submit the increase to a vote at a special election, where the membership increase requires a majority vote to pass.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill would help facilitate the merger of two particular sewer districts.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Joe Daniels, WA Assn. of Sewer/Water Districts (pro).