HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2709

As Amended by the Senate

BYHouse Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Crane and Appelwick)

Revising criteria for setting the number of district court judges in each electoral district.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Dellwo, Forner, Hargrove, R. Meyers, H. Myers, Scott, Tate and Wineberry.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 12, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1989, the Legislature authorized counties with county-wide district courts, but multiple courtroom locations, to establish smaller electoral units within the district.  One of the requirements in the new law is that each of the electoral subdistricts must include "approximately equal population."

King county is currently divided into several district courts.  The county legislative authority is planning to consolidate all of the county into one district court district. When consolidation occurs, the county-wide district could then be divided into subdistrict electoral units.  If electoral subdistricts are not created, all of the district court judges will run for election at large in King County.

The King County legislative authority and the district court judges have been negotiating on consolidation plans.  The equal population requirement for electoral subdistricts limits the choices available in a consolidation.  If Seattle is to be one of the electoral subdistricts in King County, the remainder of the county would have to be divided into two subdistricts in order to meet the equal population requirement.  Otherwise, Seattle would have to be subdivided into smaller electoral subdistricts, too.  None of the participants in the negotiations desires either of these alternatives.

State law authorizes 24 district court judges in King County.  The number of judges in a district is determined by a population formula set in statute.

SUMMARY:

The authorization to create electoral subdistricts is made mandatory for King County.  Any other county with a county-wide district court and multiple courtroom locations still has the choice of whether to create electoral subdistricts.

The requirement that district court subdistrict electoral units must be of equal population is removed.  Several requirements for the creation of districts are made applicable to subdistricts.  Among these requirements are that a city may not be in more than one subdistrict.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  The Senate amendment would allow one additional district court judge in Spokane County.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Robert McBeth, King County District Court Judges Association; Sandra Driscell, City of Kent; and Ron Main, King County (in favor of substitute).

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill will give the parties involved the flexibility they need to implement the planned consolidation of court administration.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 97; Absent 1

Absent:     Representative Crane