There is created a commission to be known as the Washington citizens’ commission on salaries for elected officials, to consist of members appointed by the governor as provided in this section.

(1) One registered voter from each congressional district shall be selected by the secretary of state from among those registered voters eligible to vote at the time persons are selected for appointment to serve on the commission. The secretary shall establish policies and procedures for conducting the selection by lot. The policies and procedures shall include, but not be limited to, those for notifying persons selected and for providing a new selection from a congressional district if a person selected from the district declines appointment to the commission or if, following the person’s appointment, the person’s position on the commission becomes vacant before the end of the person’s term of office.

(2) Seven commission members, all residents of this state, shall be selected jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate. The persons selected under this subsection shall have had experience in the field of personnel management. Of these seven members, one shall be selected from each of the following five sectors in this state: Private institutions of higher education; business; professional personnel management; legal profession; and organized labor. Of the two remaining members, one shall be a person recommended to the speaker and the president by the chair of the Washington personnel resources board and one shall be a person recommended by majority vote of the presidents of the state’s four-year institutions of higher education.

(3) The secretary of state shall forward the names of persons selected under subsection (1) of this section and the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate shall forward the names of persons selected under subsection (2) of this section to the governor who shall appoint these persons to the commission. Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, all members shall serve four-year terms and the names of the persons selected for appointment to the commission shall be forwarded to the governor not later than the first day of July every two years.

(4) No person may be appointed to more than two terms. No member of the commission may be removed by the governor during his or her term of office unless for cause of incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or for a disqualifying change of residence.

The unexcused absence of any person who is a member of the commission from two consecutive meetings of the commission shall constitute the relinquishment of that person’s membership on the commission. Such a relinquishment creates a vacancy in that person’s position on the commission. A member’s absence may be excused by the chair of the commission upon the member’s written request if the chair believes there is just cause for the absence. Such a request must be received by the chair before the meeting for which the absence is to be excused. A member’s absence from a meeting of the commission may also be excused during the meeting for which the member is absent by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the commission present at the meeting.

(5) No state official, public employee, or lobbyist, or immediate family member of the official, employee, or lobbyist, subject to the registration requirements of chapter 42.17A RCW is eligible for membership on the commission.

As used in this subsection the phrase “immediate family” means the parents, spouse or domestic partner, siblings, children, or dependent relative of the official or lobbyist whether or not living in the household of the official or lobbyist, and the parent, spouse or domestic partner, sibling, child, or dependent relative of the employee, living in the household of the employee or who is dependent in whole or in part for his or her support upon the earnings of the state employee.

(6)(a) Upon a vacancy in any position on the commission, a successor shall be selected and appointed to fill the unexpired term. The selection and appointment shall be concluded within thirty days of the date the position becomes vacant and shall be conducted in the same manner as originally provided.

(b) Initial members appointed from congressional districts created after July 22, 2011, shall be selected and appointed in the manner provided in subsection (1) of this section. The selection and appointment must be concluded within ninety days of the date the district is created. The term of an initial member appointed under this subsection terminates July 1st of an even-numbered year so that at no point may the terms of more than one-half plus one of the members selected under subsection (1) of this section terminate in the same year.

Explanatory statement—2023 c 470: See note following RCW 10.99.030.

Effective date—2011 c 60: See RCW 42.17A.919.

Part headings not law—Severability—2008 c 6: See RCW 26.60.900 and 26.60.901.

Effective date—1995 c 3: “This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately [February 10, 1995].” [ 1995 c 3 § 3.]

Effective date—1993 c 281: See note following RCW 41.06.022.

Contingent effective date—Severability—1986 c 155: See notes following RCW 43.03.300.