Rural county coroners

AN ACT Relating to funding rural county coroners and medical 1
examiners; amending RCW 36.16.030; and creating a new section.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that the most 4
rural counties in the state often face unique revenue challenges and, 5
as a result, are least able to immediately absorb additional costs 6
imposed by new legal requirements. In order to assist these counties 7
with additional independent coroner costs that will impact them 8
starting in 2025, the legislature intends to fully fund these costs 9
for a period of six fiscal years to allow these rural counties to 10
prepare for and fund at the county level these costs starting in 11
2031.12
Sec. 2. RCW 36.16.030 and 2021 c 127 s 4 are each amended to 13
read as follows: 14
Except as provided elsewhere in this section, in every county 15
there shall be elected from among the qualified voters of the county 16
a county assessor, a county auditor, a county clerk, a county 17
coroner, three county commissioners, a county prosecuting attorney, a 18
county sheriff, and a county treasurer, except that in each county 19
with a population of less than forty thousand the county legislative 20
S-0396.1
SENATE BILL 5089
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Chapman and Short
Prefiled 12/19/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Local Government.
p. 1 SB 5089
authority may determine that no coroner shall be elected and instead 1
appoint a coroner. In a county with a population of two hundred fifty 2
thousand or more, the county legislative authority may replace the 3
office of coroner with a medical examiner system and appoint a 4
medical examiner as specified in RCW 36.24.190. Any county may enter 5
into an interlocal agreement under chapter 39.34 RCW with an 6
adjoining county for the provision of coroner or medical examiner 7
services. A noncharter county may have five county commissioners as 8
provided in RCW 36.32.010 and 36.32.055 through 36.32.0558. For 9
fiscal years 2025 through 2030, the legislature shall appropriate and 10
disburse, to counties with a population of under 40,000, sufficient 11
funds to cover the costs of any new or increased responsibilities 12
under this section.13
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p. 2 SB 5089