ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5719
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senate Local Government (originally sponsored by Senators Salomon and Cortes)
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/25.
AN ACT Relating to local government hearing examiners; amending RCW 36.70.970 , 35.63.130 , 35A.63.170 , and 58.17.330 ; adding a new section to chapter 36.70 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35.63 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35A.63 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 58.17 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 36.70.970 and 1995 c 347 s 425 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) As an alternative to those provisions of this chapter relating to powers or duties of the planning commission to hear and issue recommendations on applications for plat approval and applications for amendments to the zoning ordinance, the county legislative authority of a county that does not plan under RCW 36.70A.040 may adopt a hearing examiner system under which a hearing examiner or hearing examiners may hear and issue decisions on proposals for plat approval and for amendments to the zoning ordinance when the amendment which is applied for is not of general applicability. In addition, the legislative authority may vest in a hearing examiner the power to hear and decide those issues it believes should be reviewed and decided by a hearing examiner, including but not limited to: