Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Judiciary Committee |
SB 6095
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Title: An act relating to making technical corrections to gender-based terms.
Brief Description: Making technical corrections to gender-based terms.
Sponsors: Senator Kohl-Welles; by request of Statute Law Committee.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/9/12
Staff: Omeara Harrington (786-7136).
Background:
Since 1983, state law requires that all statutes be written in gender-neutral terms unless a specification of gender is intended. In 2007, the Legislature passed ESB 5063, an act relating to removing gender references. The Legislature directed the Code Reviser, in consultation with the Statute Law Committee, to implement a plan to correct gender-specific references throughout the entire Revised Code of Washington (RCW). The Code Reviser must make annual legislative recommendations to make the RCW gender-neutral by June 30, 2015.
Summary of Bill:
Gender-specific terms and references are made gender-neutral in several Titles of the RCW. For example, chairman is changed to chair, ranchman is changed to rancher, clergyman is changed to member of the clergy, policeman is changed to police officer, and the phrase "his or her" is used. In a few sections, other technical changes are made to correct cross-references, misspellings, and grammatical errors, and to update terminology.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.