SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5946

As Passed Senate, March 13, 2001

Title:  An act relating to allowing state certified appraisers to appraise school district properties.

Brief Description:  Allowing certified real estate appraisers to appraise school district property.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senator McAuliffe).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/21/01, 2/27/01 [DPS].

Passed Senate:  3/13/01, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5946 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Eide, Vice Chair; Carlson, Finkbeiner, Hewitt, Hochstatter, Johnson, Kastama, Kohl‑Welles, Prentice, Rasmussen, Regala and Zarelli.

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786‑7422)

Background:  Under current law, only real estate appraisers who are qualified by a nationally recognized real estate appraisal educational organization may appraise real property for a school district prior to the school district purchasing or selling the property.  School districts do not have the authority to use real estate appraisers who are solely licensed by the state.

Summary of Bill:  Real estate appraisers who are certified solely by the Washington State Department of Licensing may appraise real property for a school district prior to the school district purchasing or selling the property.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The state has not always licensed appraisers, but now they do.  The standards for state licensed appraisers are very high.  There are a number of appraisers that have both state and national certification.  Sometimes school districts can save money by using an appraiser who is licensed by the state instead of using an appraiser who has national certification.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Charlie Brown, King County School Coalition.