HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6370

BYSenators von Reichbauer, DeJarnatt, Patrick, McCaslin and Thorsness

Changing provisions relating to changing the name of a city or town.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (14)

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

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 28, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The procedure for changing the name of a city or town is initiated by the filing of a petition signed by 50 resident electors.  The question of whether or not to change the name is placed on the ballot at the next municipal election which can be up to two years later. (Municipal elections are conducted in November of odd-numbered years.)

If a majority of voters approve the ballot question, any 25 resident electors may nominate new names up until 20 days prior to the next succeeding municipal election - two years after the first vote.

The name receiving the most votes and at least 40 percent of the votes shall become the name of the city or town at the time the officers elected at that same election begin their terms.

If no name receives at least 40 percent of the vote, the two names receiving the highest vote will be resubmitted for vote at the next succeeding municipal election - four years following the first vote.

At a minimum, a name change will take approximately 27 months exclusive of the time to gather signatures on the initial petition.  At a maximum, it could take six years and three months plus the time to gather signatures.

For the city of Seattle, less than .01 percent of the resident electors can initiate an election.  For the town of Krupp, more than 75 percent of the resident electors would have to petition for a change.

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The existing process to change the name of a city or town is repealed and a new process is established to change the name of a city or town, as follows: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.  For newly incorporated cities where city officials have not been elected at a normal general municipal election, the election used as the basis to determine the required number of signatures is the election at which the initial elected officials were elected.

(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 petition 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:    Senator von Reichbauer, Prime Sponsor; and Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The existing city name process is archaic and cumbersome.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.