Title: An act relating to the statute law committee.

Brief Description: Changing the membership of the statute law committee.

Sponsors: House Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability (originally sponsored by Representatives Haigh, McDermott, Jarrett, Miloscia, Nixon, Green, Wallace and Hunt).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/03/05, 97-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/21/05, 3/28/05 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Fairley, Haugen, Kline, Mulliken and Pridemore.

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: The Office of the Code Reviser was created in 1951. The office is a legislative agency whose responsibilities include:

• codifying, indexing, and publishing the Revised Code of Washington, including harmonizing the statutes through administrative changes or suggested legislation;
• drafting bills on behalf of legislators, legislative committees, joint committees, state elected officials, and agencies;
• acting as the repository for various documents relating to administrative rulemaking; and
• publishing a variety of rulemaking-related publications, including the Washington Administrative Code and the State Register.

The Code Reviser is employed at will by the Statute Law Committee. The Statute Law Committee is also responsible for setting the Code Reviser's salary and employing the Code Reviser's staff. The Statute Law Committee is made up of the following members:

• a member of the Legislature who is also a lawyer;
• the chair of the House Judiciary Committee or a member serving on the committee who is a member of the same party as the chair;
• a member of the House Judiciary Committee who is not a member of the same party as the chair;
• the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee or a member serving on the committee who is a member of the same party as the chair;
• a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who is not a member of the same party as the chair;
• five lawyers designated by the Washington State Bar Association;
• a Justice of the Washington Supreme Court or a lawyer designated by the Chief Justice; and
• a lawyer appointed by the Governor.

The term of office for the lawyer members appointed by the Washington State Bar Association is six years. The term of office for the legislative members is two years. The term of office for the member appointed by the Chief Justice is at the pleasure of the Supreme Court. The term of office for the Governor's appointee is four years.

Summary of Amended Bill: The membership of the Statute Law Committee is changed to:

• the Secretary of the Senate;
• two members of the senate, one from each of the two largest caucuses in the senate;
• the Chief Clerk of the House;
• two members of the house, one from each of the two largest caucuses in the house;
• the Staff Director of Senate Committee Services;
• the Staff Director of the Office of Program Research;
• a lawyer appointed by the Washington State Bar Association;
• a Justice of the Washington Supreme Court appointed by the Chief Justice; and
• a lawyer staff member of the Governor's office or a state agency.

The term of office for the member appointed by the Washington State Bar Association is two years. The term of office for the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the House, the staff Director of Senate Committee Services, and the staff Director of the Office of Program Research expires when the tenure of the position expires. The remaining committee members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: Instead of the four members of the legislature, the substitute bill provided that an attorney staff member of the Senate appointed by the minority caucus and an attorney staff member of the House appointed by the minority caucus would be members of the statute law committee.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: Dennis Cooper, Code Reviser, available for questions.