Concerning irrigation district director beneficial interests in contracts.

 H-2520.1

HOUSE BILL 2223

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2026 Regular Session

By Representatives Klicker, Zahn, Barnard, Schmidt, and Stuebe

Prefiled 12/31/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee on Local Government.

AN ACT Relating to irrigation district director beneficial interests in contracts; amending RCW 42.23.030 ; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the current statute pertaining to municipal officers' beneficial interest in contracts has resulted in inadvertent impacts especially in rural communities, by reaching too far and inadvertently precluding otherwise qualified individuals from serving as irrigation district directors.

Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to clarify the statutes pertaining to irrigation district directors and contracts to ensure reasonable protections against inappropriate conflicts of interest exist, while acknowledging the challenges such laws may present in small rural communities.