To stipulate the way library trustees are elected. See also Companion House Bill 1417.   Official Text and Analysis.

By Heidi Borton; Edna J. Fund; Gene W. Weaver; Ken Bragg; and Margaret Tweet, SAFE. They testified that there is a public outcry about unresponsive library boards. The citizens are frustrated. There is no fiscal accountability under the current appointed board system. The salaries of library directors making $116,000 per year shows the lack of fiscal accountability. The cost of the election should not dictate the decision. The total lack of responsiveness by trustees is shown in their ignoring petitions and incidents in the library.

By Mark Nessy and Larry O'Donnell, Trustees, Everett Library; Thelma Kruse, Timberland Regional Library; Amory Peck, Whatcom County Library District. The current system works. Adding another layer of voting is cumbersome, awkward, and expensive. The current system allows for balance of age and gender on the board. The bill would actually hurt library governance. Representation would favor populated areas. The budget process already is public and completely visible and the elected officials already do determine what money goes to the library.

To eliminate the legislative requirement that trustees are elected. The question of whether to elect trustees may be put to the voters.

To provide several ways to remove a library trustee. The original bill states removal is only by a vote of the local legislative body.

Regarding library trustee elections.

The bill did not pass both chambers during the 2003 regular session, so the bill automatically returned to the Senate Rules Committee when the regular 105-day session adjourned on April 27, 2003.

And active in the 2004 legislative session.