AN ACT Relating to appointments of the board of directors of a school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more; amending RCW 28A.343.300 and 28A.343.600; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.343.660; adding a new section to chapter 28A.343 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.343.300 and 2009 c 107 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The governing board of a school district shall be known as the board of directors of the district.

Unless otherwise specifically provided, as in RCW 29A.04.340, each member of a board of directors shall be elected by ballot by the registered voters of the school district and shall hold office for a term of four years and until a successor is elected and qualified. Terms of school directors shall be staggered, and insofar as possible, not more than a majority of one shall be elected to full terms at any regular election. In case a member or members of a board of directors are to be elected to fill an unexpired term or terms, the ballot shall specify the term for which each such member is to be elected.

((Except for))(2) A school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more ((which)) shall have a board of directors of seven members, five of whom are elected and two of whom are appointed by the mayor of that city. A vacancy by an appointed member under this subsection shall be appointed by the mayor for the unexpired term.

(3) The board of directors of every school district of the first class that does not have within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more or school district of the second class shall ((consist))have a board of directors of five members all of whom are elected.

Sec. 2.  RCW 28A.343.600 and 2009 c 107 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any first-class school district having a board of directors of five members as provided in RCW 28A.343.300 and which elects directors for a term of six years under the provisions of RCW 29A.04.340 shall cause the office of at least one director and no more than two directors to be up for election at each regular school district election held hereafter ((and,)).

(2) Except as provided in RCW 28A.343.670, any first-class school district having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more having a board of directors of ((seven))five elected members and two appointed members as provided in RCW 28A.343.300 shall cause the office of two directors and no more than three directors to be up for election at each regular school district election held hereafter. Appointed members shall serve staggered terms and be appointed pursuant to section 4 of this act.

Sec. 3.  RCW 28A.343.660 and 1991 c 363 s 28 and 1991 c 288 ss 5 and 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more shall be divided into ((seven))five director districts. The boundaries of such director districts shall be established by the members of the school board, such boundaries to be established so that each such district shall comply, as nearly as practicable, with the criteria established in RCW ((29.70.100))29A.76.010. Boundaries of such director districts shall be adjusted by the school board following the procedure established in RCW ((29.70.100))29A.76.010 after each federal decennial census if population change shows the need thereof to comply with the criteria of RCW ((29.70.100))29A.76.010. No person shall be eligible for the position of school director in any ((such)) director district unless ((such))the person resides in the particular director district. Residents in the particular director district desiring to be a candidate for school director shall file their declarations of candidacy for ((such))the appropriate director district and for the position of director in that district and shall be voted upon, in any primary required to be held for the position under Title 29A RCW, by the registered voters of that particular director district. In the general election, each position shall be voted upon by all the registered voters in the school district. The order of the names of candidates shall appear on the primary and general election ballots as required for nonpartisan positions under Title 29A RCW. Except as provided in RCW ((28A.315.680))29A.343.670, every such director so elected in school districts divided into ((seven))five director districts shall serve for a term of four years as otherwise provided in RCW ((28A.315.460))28A.343.610.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.343 RCW to read as follows:

(1) As of the effective date of this section, each school district of a first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more must redraw its boundaries to encompass five districts. Districts must be drawn pursuant to the requirements of chapter 29A.76 RCW. The new districts must be submitted to the county auditor no later than January 15, 2017. Position numbers for the elected positions must correspond to the district numbers.

(2) Member appointments for the two appointed directors shall commence as follows: One member shall be appointed effective January 1, 2018, and one member shall be appointed effective January 1, 2020. Appointed members shall serve four-year terms.

(3) The five elected members for the new districts shall commence at the end of the terms of the current board members as follows: Two members shall be elected in 2017 and the remaining three members shall be elected in 2019.

(4) Nothing in chapter ..., Laws of 2015 (this act) affects the term of office of any incumbent director of any such first-class school district.

(5) This section expires January 1, 2021.

--- END ---