S‑0730.3   _____________________________________________

SENATE BILL 5785

           _____________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Kline, Constantine, Sheahan, Kohl‑Welles and Prentice

Read first time 02/02/2001.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

_1      AN ACT Relating to qualifications of judges; adding a new

_2  section to chapter 2.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 2.08

_3  RCW; creating a new section; and providing a contingent effective

_4  date.

_5  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

_6      NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 2.04 RCW

_7  to read as follows:

_8      A judge of the supreme court shall be admitted to the practice

_9  of law in the courts of record of this state not less than fifteen

10  years prior to taking office.

11      NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 2.08 RCW

12  to read as follows:

13      A judge of a superior court shall be admitted to the practice

14  of law in the courts of record of this state not less than five

15  years prior to taking office.

16     

17      NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  If a judge currently holding office does

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_1  not meet the minimum qualifications specified in this act on the

_2  effective date of this act, the judge may complete his or her

_3  current term of office.

_4     NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  This act takes effect thirty days after

_5  election if the proposed amendment to Article IV, section 17 of

_6  the state Constitution specifying qualifications for judges is

_7  validly submitted to and is approved and ratified by the voters at

_8  the next general election.  If the proposed amendment is not

_9  approved and ratified, this act is void in its entirety.

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