BILL REQ. #:  H-1660.1 

Read first time 02/12/2007.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to authorizing the Washington citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials to fix the salaries of port district commissioners; and amending RCW 53.12.260, 43.03.300, and 43.03.310.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 53.12.260 and 1998 c 121 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each commissioner of a port district shall receive seventy dollars per day or portion thereof spent (a) in actual attendance at official meetings of the port district commission, or (b) in performance of other service in behalf of the district. The total per diem compensation of a port commissioner shall not exceed six thousand seven hundred twenty dollars in a year, or eight thousand four hundred dollars in any year for a port district with gross operating income of twenty-five million or more in the preceding calendar year.
     (2) Port commissioners shall receive additional compensation as follows: (a) Each commissioner of a port district with gross operating revenues of twenty-five million dollars or more in the preceding calendar year shall receive a salary of five hundred dollars per month; and (b) each commissioner of a port district with gross operating revenues of from one million dollars to less than twenty-five million dollars in the preceding calendar year shall receive a salary of two hundred dollars per month.
     (3) In lieu of the compensation specified in this section, a port commission may set compensation to be paid to commissioners. A port commission may, at its option, authorize the Washington citizen's commission on salaries for elected officials to fix the salaries paid to commissioners.
     (4) For any commissioner who has not elected to become a member of public employees retirement system before May 1, 1975, the compensation provided pursuant to this section shall not be considered salary for purposes of the provisions of any retirement system created pursuant to the general laws of this state nor shall attendance at such meetings or other service on behalf of the district constitute service as defined in RCW 41.40.010(9): PROVIDED, That in the case of a port district when commissioners are receiving compensation and contributing to the public employees retirement system, these benefits shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 53.12.260 and 53.12.265.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.03.300 and 1986 c 155 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The legislature hereby declares it to be the policy of this state to base salaries of elected state officials and port district commissioners on realistic standards in order that such officials may be paid according to the duties of their offices and so that citizens of the highest quality may be attracted to public service. It is the purpose of RCW 43.03.300 through 43.03.310 to effectuate this policy by creating a citizens' commission to establish proper salaries for such officials, thus removing political considerations in fixing the appropriateness of the amount of such salaries.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.03.310 and 1998 c 164 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials shall study the relationship of salaries to the duties of members of the legislature, all elected officials of the executive branch of state government, port district commissioners as authorized under RCW 53.12.260, and all judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, superior courts, and district courts, and shall fix the salary for each respective position.
     (2) Except as provided otherwise in RCW 43.03.305 and this section, the commission shall be solely responsible for its own organization, operation, and action and shall enjoy the fullest cooperation of all state officials, departments, and agencies.
     (3) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be eligible to receive a subsistence allowance and travel expenses pursuant to RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (4) The members of the commission shall elect a chair from among their number. The commission shall set a schedule of salaries by an affirmative vote of not less than nine members of the commission.
     (5) The commission shall file its initial schedule of salaries for the elected officials with the secretary of state no later than the first Monday in June, 1987, and shall file a schedule biennially thereafter. Each such schedule shall be filed in legislative bill form, shall be assigned a chapter number and published with the session laws of the legislature, and shall be codified by the statute law committee. The signature of the chair of the commission shall be affixed to each schedule submitted to the secretary of state. The chair shall certify that the schedule has been adopted in accordance with the provisions of state law and with the rules, if any, of the commission. Such schedules shall become effective ninety days after the filing thereof, except as provided in Article XXVIII, section 1 of the state Constitution. State laws regarding referendum petitions shall apply to such schedules to the extent consistent with Article XXVIII, section 1 of the state Constitution.
     (6) Before the filing of any salary schedule, the commission shall first develop a proposed salary schedule and then hold no fewer than four regular meetings as defined by chapter 42.30 RCW to take public testimony on the proposed schedule within the four months immediately preceding the filing. At the last public hearing that is held as a regular meeting on the proposed schedule, the commission shall adopt the salary schedule as originally proposed or as amended at that meeting that will be filed with the secretary of state.
     (7) All meetings, actions, hearings, and business of the commission shall be subject in full to the open public meetings act, chapter 42.30 RCW.
     (8) Salaries of the officials referred to in subsection (1) of this section that are in effect on January 12, 1987, shall continue until modified by the commission under this section.