HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 2728

BYHouse Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Brough, Haugen, Ferguson, Hine and G. Fisher) 

Providing for changing the name of a city or town.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Republican Member; Horn, Kirby, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Phillips, Raiter, Rayburn, Wolfe and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 9, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The process to change the name of a city or town is initiated by petition of at least 50 electors of the city or town and involves at least two, and perhaps three elections held on subsequent municipal general elections, i.e., general elections held in odd-numbered years.

SUMMARY:

The existing process to change the name of a city or town is repealed and a new process is established to change the name of a city or town, as follows.

(1)  The proposal to change the name of a city or town may be initiated by either resolution of the city or town council proposing an alternative name, or the submission of a petition proposing an alternative name that has been signed by voters of the city or town equal in number to at least 10 percent of the number of voters who voted in the city or town at the last municipal general election;

(2)  Where only one alternative name has been proposed, a ballot proposition is submitted to the voters of the city or town, at the next municipal general election occurring 60 or more days after the adoption of the resolution or submission of the sufficient petition, inquiring into whether the name of the city or town should be changed to the alternative name.  The alternative name becomes the new name of the city or town 30 days after the certification of the election results if it receives simple majority approval.

(3)  Where two or more alternative names have been proposed, a two part proposition is submitted to city or town voters at the next municipal general election occurring 60 or more days after the submission of a sufficient petitions or adoption of the resolution.  First, voters are asked if they want to change the name of the city, and second, voters are permitted to select one of the alternative names.  If voters oppose a name change, the city or town retains its name.  If voters support a name change, then the name receiving at least a simple majority vote becomes the new name of the city or town 30 days after the certification of the election results.  However, if no alternative name receives at least a simple majority vote, then the two alternative names are submitted to voters at the next November special election date.  The name receiving simple majority approval becomes the new name of the city or town 30 days after the certification of the election results.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Jean Marie Brough, Prime Sponsor; and Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The existing process is archaic.  Only 50 voters can force an election on a name change.  The process could take over six years to complete.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.