Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Local Government Committee
HB 1645
Brief Description: Concerning meetings of county legislative authorities.
Sponsors: Representatives Barnard, Duerr, Connors, Riccelli, Cheney, Hutchins, McClintock, Chambers, McEntire, Sandlin, Eslick, Low, Street, Maycumber, Fitzgibbon, Macri, Reed, Rude, Lekanoff and Ramel.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows a county legislative authority to hold regular meetings once per calendar month in a city within the county that has a greater population than the county seat, and once per quarter at any other location within the county, provided than no more than one meeting is held at an alternative location in this way per month.
Hearing Date: 2/15/23
Staff: Kellen Wright (786-7134).
Background:

In most counties in Washington, boards of commissioners act as the legislative and chief administrative authority for the county.  These boards have at least three members, with counties that have more than 300,000 people allowed to increase the number of commissioners to five.  In the seven counties that have adopted a home rule charter, county councils exercise the legislative authority within the county.

 

However denominated, the legislative authority of each county is required to hold regular meetings at the county seat to transact county business.  The county seat is the primary location of county government, with various offices and functions required to be located in the county seat, and a regular meeting is a reoccurring meeting held in accordance with a schedule declared by statute or rule.  The legislative authority may also hold a joint regular meeting with another county legislative authority at either of the county seats when the agenda is of mutual interest to the counties.

 

County legislative authorities are also allowed to hold a regular meeting outside of the county seat at another location in the county when the legislative authority determines that doing so will support greater citizen engagement with county government.  This can occur no more than four times a year, and notice of the meeting must be provided at least 30 days prior to the meeting on the county's website, in a newspaper of general circulation, and to any county resident who has asked to receive notice by electronic mail.
Summary of Bill:

If a county legislative authority determines that holding a meeting at an alternative location will support greater citizen engagement with county government, then the legislative authority may hold up to one regular meeting per calendar month in a city within the county that has a greater population than the county seat, and up to one regular meeting per quarter at another location within the county.  No more than one meeting per calendar month may be held at an alternative location in this way.
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.