SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6318

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

State & Local Government, January 28, 2002

Title:  An act relating to city charter elections.

Brief Description:  Restricting city charter elections.

Sponsors:  Senators Keiser and Fairley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/23/02, 1/28/02 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6318 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Haugen, Keiser, Kline and Swecker.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Background:  Cities of the first class (population of 10,000 or more) and code cities having 10,000 or more inhabitants may frame a charter for their own governance.  All charters must be approved by a majority of the voters at an election for the adoption or rejection of the proposed charter.  For cities of the first class, there is no restriction as to the frequency of elections to adopt a proposed charter.  For code cities, if the vote in favor of adopting a charter receives 40 percent or less of the total vote on the question of charter adoption, no new election on the question of charter adoption may be held for a period of two years from the date of the election in which the charter proposal failed.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  For cities of the first class, if the vote in favor of adopting or amending a charter receives 40 percent or less of the total vote on the question of charter adoption or revision, no new election on the question of charter adoption or revision may be held for a period of two years from the date of the election in which the charter proposal failed.  For code cities, if the vote in favor of revising a charter receives 40 percent or less of the total vote on the question of amending the charter, no new election on the question of charter revision may be held for a period of two years from the date of the election in which the charter proposal failed.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The intent is clarified.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This will keep a few people from continually collecting the few signatures necessary to put charters or amendments to charters on the ballot unless they have grass-root support.  These elections are very costly to cities.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Frank Hanson, City of SeaTac; Joe Daniels; Jim Justin, AWC.