BILL REQ. #:  H-0809.1 

Read first time 01/23/13.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to the Washington State Bar Association; adding new sections to chapter 2.44 RCW; creating a new section; recodifying RCW 2.48.180, 2.48.190, and 2.48.200; and repealing RCW 2.48.010, 2.48.020, 2.48.021, 2.48.030, 2.48.035, 2.48.040, 2.48.050, 2.48.060, 2.48.070, 2.48.080, 2.48.090, 2.48.100, 2.48.110, 2.48.130, 2.48.140, 2.48.150, 2.48.160, 2.48.165, 2.48.166, 2.48.170, 2.48.210, 2.48.220, and 2.48.230.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the Washington State Bar Association was initially established by the legislature as a state agency. Since that time the State Supreme Court has taken over as the entity regulating members of the state bar, and has opined that, "the ultimate power to regulate court-related functions, including the administration of the Bar Association, belongs exclusively to this court." WSBA v. State of Washington, 125 Wn.2d 901 (1995). Therefore, the legislature intends to repeal statutes establishing the bar association and regulation of members of the bar.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 2.48.010 (Objects and powers) and 1933 c 94 s 2;
     (2) RCW 2.48.020 (First members) and 1933 c 94 s 3;
     (3) RCW 2.48.021 (New members) and 1933 c 94 s 4;
     (4) RCW 2.48.030 (Board of governors) and 1982 1st ex.s. c 30 s 1, 1972 ex.s. c 66 s 1, & 1933 c 94 s 5;
     (5) RCW 2.48.035 (Board of governors -- Membership -- Effect of creation of new congressional districts or boundaries) and 1982 1st ex.s. c 30 s 2;
     (6) RCW 2.48.040 (State bar governed by board of governors) and 1933 c 94 s 6;
     (7) RCW 2.48.050 (Powers of governors) and 1933 c 94 s 7;
     (8) RCW 2.48.060 (Admission and disbarment) and 1933 c 94 s 8;
     (9) RCW 2.48.070 (Admission of veterans) and 1945 c 181 s 1;
     (10) RCW 2.48.080 (Admission of veterans -- Establishment of requirements if in service) and 2011 c 336 s 63 & 1945 c 181 s 2;
     (11) RCW 2.48.090 (Admission of veterans -- Establishment of requirements if discharged) and 2011 c 336 s 64 & 1945 c 181 s 3;
     (12) RCW 2.48.100 (Admission of veterans -- Effect of disability discharge) and 1945 c 181 s 4;
     (13) RCW 2.48.110 (Admission of veterans -- Fees of veterans) and 1945 c 181 s 5;
     (14) RCW 2.48.130 (Membership fee -- Active) and 1957 c 138 s 1, 1953 c 256 s 1, & 1933 c 94 s 9;
     (15) RCW 2.48.140 (Membership fee -- Inactive) and 1955 c 34 s 1 & 1933 c 94 s 10;
     (16) RCW 2.48.150 (Admission fees) and 2011 c 336 s 65 & 1933 c 94 s 11;
     (17) RCW 2.48.160 (Suspension for nonpayment of fees) and 2011 c 336 s 66 & 1933 c 94 s 12;
     (18) RCW 2.48.165 (Disbarment or license suspension -- Nonpayment or default on educational loan or scholarship) and 1996 c 293 s 1;
     (19) RCW 2.48.166 (Admission to or suspension from practice--Noncompliance with support order -- Rules) and 1997 c 58 s 810;
     (20) RCW 2.48.170 (Only active members may practice law) and 2011 c 336 s 67 & 1933 c 94 s 13;
     (21) RCW 2.48.210 (Oath on admission) and 1921 c 126 s 12;
     (22) RCW 2.48.220 (Grounds of disbarment or suspension) and 2011 c 336 s 68 & 1921 c 126 s 14 & 1909 c 139 s 7; and
     (23) RCW 2.48.230 (Code of ethics) and 1921 c 126 s 15.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   RCW 2.48.180, 2.48.190, and 2.48.200 are each recodified as sections in chapter 2.44 RCW.