SB5370 • 2026

Port commissioner terms

Lengthening port commissioner terms.

Elections Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Harris, Senator Chapman, Senator Krishnadasan, Senator Lovelett, Senator Nobles
Last action: 2025-02-26
Official status: S subst for
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Port commissioner terms

What This Bill Does

Port commissioner terms

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

5370-S AMH LG H2112.1

0 • Local Government

ADOPTED

Plain English: 5370-S AMH LG H2112.1 SSB 5370 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Local Government ADOPTED 04/16/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.

5370-S AMH LG H2112.1 SSB 5370 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Local Government ADOPTED 04/16/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
Sec.
1.
A new section is added to chapter 53.12 3 RCW to read as follows: 4 (1) A ballot proposition to lengthen the terms of office of port 5 commissioners from four years to six years must be submitted to the 6 voters of any port district upon either resolution of the port 7 commissioners or petition of voters of the port district proposing 8 the increase in terms of office, which petition has been signed by 9 voters of the port district equal in number to at least 10 percent of 10 the number of voters in the port district voting at the last general 11 election.

5370-S AMH ORCU WRIK 409

1290 • Orcutt

NOT ADOPTED

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 5370-S AMH ORCU WRIK 409 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Precludes a port district that is levying property taxes from increasing the terms of office of its port commissioners from four years to six years.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 5370-S AMH ORCU WRIK 409 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Precludes a port district that is levying property taxes from increasing the terms of office of its port commissioners from four years to six years.
5370-S AMH ORCU WRIK 409 SSB 5370 - H AMD TO LG COMM AMD (H-2112.1/25) 1290 By Representative Orcutt NOT ADOPTED 04/16/2025 On page 1, line 29 of the striking amendment, after "RCW 53.12.172" strike "or to" and insert ", a port district levying a property tax under chapter 53.36 RCW, or" --- END

Bill History

2025-02-26 Senate
1st substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

Port commissioner terms

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

AN ACT Relating to lengthening port commissioner terms; and 1
adding a new section to chapter 53.12 RCW. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 53.12 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1) A ballot proposition to lengthen the terms of office of port 6
commissioners from four years to six years must be submitted to the 7
voters of any port district upon either resolution of the port 8
commissioners or petition of voters of the port district proposing 9
the increase in terms of office, which petition has been signed by 10
voters of the port district equal in number to at least 10 percent of 11
the number of voters in the port district voting at the last general 12
election. 13
(2) The petition must be submitted to the county auditor. If the 14
petition was signed by sufficient valid signatures, the ballot 15
proposition must be submitted at the next general election that 16
occurs 60 or more days after the adoption of the resolution or 17
submission of the petition. 18
(3) If the ballot proposition lengthening the terms of office of 19
port commissioners is approved by a simple majority vote of the 20
voters voting on the proposition, the commissioner or commissioners 21
S-0492.1
SENATE BILL 5370
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Harris, Chapman, Krishnadasan, Lovelett, and Nobles
Read first time 01/20/25. Referred to Committee on Local Government.
p. 1 SB 5370
who are elected at that election are elected to six-year terms of 1
office. The terms of office of the other commissioners are not 2
lengthened, but each successor is elected to a six-year term of 3
office. 4
(4) This section does not apply to a port district that is 5
required to maintain four-year terms under RCW 53.12.172.6
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p. 2 SB 5370