BILL REQ. #:  H-3215.1 

Prefiled 12/23/2003. Read first time 01/12/2004.   Referred to Committee on State Government.

     AN ACT Relating to the composition of the Washington citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials; and amending RCW 43.03.305.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.03.305 and 1999 c 102 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is created a commission to be known as the Washington citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials((, to consist of sixteen members appointed by the governor as provided in this section)). Membership and composition shall be according to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section until July 1, 2006, and according to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section beginning July 1, 2006.
     (((1))) (2)(a) Until July 1, 2006, the commission shall consist of sixteen members. Nine of the sixteen commission members shall be selected by lot by the secretary of state from among those registered voters eligible to vote at the time persons are selected for appointment to full terms on the commission under subsection (((3))) (2)(c) of this section. One member shall be selected from each congressional district. The secretary shall establish policies and procedures for conducting the selection by lot. The policies and procedures shall include, but not be limited to, those for notifying persons selected and for providing a new selection from a congressional district if a person selected from the district declines appointment to the commission or if, following the person's appointment, the person's position on the commission becomes vacant before the end of the person's term of office.
     (((2))) (b) The remaining seven of the sixteen commission members, all residents of this state, shall be selected jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate. The persons selected under this subsection shall have had experience in the field of personnel management. Of these seven members, one shall be selected from each of the following five sectors in this state: Private institutions of higher education; business; professional personnel management; legal profession; and organized labor. Of the two remaining members, one shall be a person recommended to the speaker and the president by the chair of the Washington personnel resources board and one shall be a person recommended by majority vote of the presidents of the state's four-year institutions of higher education.
     (((3))) (c) The secretary of state shall forward the names of persons selected under subsection (((1))) (2)(a) of this section and the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate shall forward the names of persons selected under subsection (2)(b) of this section to the governor who shall appoint these persons to the commission. Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the names of persons selected for appointment to the commission shall be forwarded to the governor not later than February 15, 1987, and not later than the fifteenth day of February every four years through 1999. The terms of the members selected in 1999 shall terminate July 1, 2002, and the names of persons selected for appointment to the commission shall be forwarded to the governor not later than July 1, 2002. Of the sixteen names forwarded to the governor in 2002, the governor shall by lot select four of the persons selected under subsection (((1))) (2)(a) of this section and four of the persons selected under subsection (2)(b) of this section to serve two-year terms, with the rest of the members serving four-year terms. ((Thereafter)) Until July 1, 2006, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, all members shall serve four-year terms and the names of eight persons selected for appointment to the commission shall be forwarded to the governor not later than the first day of July every two years. The terms of the members selected in 2004 shall terminate July 1, 2006.
     (3)(a) For terms beginning July 1, 2006, the commission shall consist of two members from each congressional district. The commission members shall be selected by lot by the secretary of state from among those registered voters eligible to vote at the time persons are selected for appointment. The secretary must establish policies and procedures for conducting the selection by lot, to include, but not be limited to, notifying persons selected and providing a new selection process if a person selected declines appointment to the commission or a position on the commission becomes vacant before the end of the term. The secretary of state shall forward the names of persons selected to the governor not later than the first day of July, who shall appoint these persons to the commission.
     (b) Of the names forwarded to the governor for appointment in 2006, the governor shall by lot select one person from each congressional district to serve a two-year term, with the other person from each congressional district to serve a four-year term. Thereafter, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, all members shall serve four-year terms, and the name of one person from each congressional district shall be forwarded to the governor not later than the first day of July every two years.
     (4)(a) No person may be appointed to more than two terms. No member of the commission may be removed by the governor during his or her term of office unless for cause of incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or for a disqualifying change of residence.
     (b) The unexcused absence of any person who is a member of the commission from two consecutive meetings of the commission shall constitute the relinquishment of that person's membership on the commission. Such a relinquishment creates a vacancy in that person's position on the commission. A member's absence may be excused by the chair of the commission upon the member's written request if the chair believes there is just cause for the absence. Such a request must be received by the chair before the meeting for which the absence is to be excused. A member's absence from a meeting of the commission may also be excused during the meeting for which the member is absent by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the commission present at the meeting.
     (5)(a) No state official, public employee, or lobbyist subject to the registration requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW, or immediate family member of the official, employee, or lobbyist((, subject to the registration requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW)) is eligible for membership on the commission.
     (b) As used in this subsection the phrase "immediate family" means the parents, spouse, siblings, children, or dependent relative of the official, employee, or lobbyist whether or not living in the household of the official, employee, or lobbyist.
     (6) Upon a vacancy in any position on the commission, a successor shall be selected and appointed to fill the unexpired term. The selection and appointment shall be concluded within thirty days of the date the position becomes vacant and shall be conducted in the same manner as originally provided.